Lost And Found (Formerly Child of the Wicked)
by WitchGirl
Summary: Jasna's just a lost girl who finds a friend in her worst enemy. Only after falling in a lake, getting kidnapped, becoming lost in the forest and being tortured does she finally realize the meaning of love... And the pain of loss...
1. First Day Doubts

Lost and Found

Summary: Jasna Larden transfers from St. Laurel's Academy of Witchcraft to Hogwarts.  Why are the teachers so nervous around her?  She's not intimidating.  Rumors are she was kicked out of St. Laurel's.  But why?  Read and find out why people think this innocent girl can threaten lives.

Chapter One: First Day Doubts

Jasna marveled at the majesty of Hogwarts castle.  She couldn't even begin to compare it to St. Laurel's, which was an old eighteenth century estate, with wooden floors and bright windows.  Hogwarts was completely different.  The grandeur of the castle was so breathtaking.  And she heard there were secret passages to discover, moving staircases, and even their own poltergeist!  Now, St. Laurel's had its fair share of trapdoors and disappearing and reappearing rooms, but this was just fantastic!

"Jasna!" Professor McGonagall called.

"Oh!" Jasna jumped, "Right!" she had been so caught up at looking at the corridors and the knight's armor that she hadn't noticed Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore walk on without her.  Politely silent, she stepped lightly and hurried to the two professors.  Polite and silent, that was the way the professors at St. Laurel's had taught them to be.  That was the way people liked their young ladies, they had been taught.  They were extremely strict with the girls, but had to be to keep them in line.  No one was to speak at meals and they had strict curfews and rules.  She was surprised with the leniency of Hogwarts compared to her old school.

Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall led her down the halls.  
"Now Jasna, since you transferred in the middle of the year and the Prefects have little time to show you around, we have to do it.  And it doesn't help if you fall behind," Professor McGonagall said, standing tall and proud and reminding Jasna of Professor Grant at her old school.  Jasna nodded silently, her hands behind her back, also standing with her back straight and her head high.  But soon, her eyes began to wander again at the marvelous paintings and their occupants and her posture relaxed as she stopped to look around again.  Dumbledore and McGonagall continued without her again.

"Don't stop, Professor, she'll catch up," Dumbledore said with a grin, "I've never seen a student so entranced in the castle."  
"She's used to that American school of hers," McGonagall said, "She's not used to the castles of England."  Then, McGonagall's voice was lowered to a whisper as she talked to Dumbledore about a matter that had been on her mind ever since she heard Jasna was coming to Hogwarts.   She turned her head to look at him.

"Professor Dumbledore," she said, as respectfully as possible, "Do you really think it's wise to let her in here?  What with Harry Potter attending this school and all…"  
"Of course I think it's wise.  I see no reason why we should refuse a nice student from Massachusetts her education," Dumbledore answered, looking firmly ahead of him and not meeting McGonagall's gaze.

"Yes, but aren't you worried?"  
"I see nothing to be worried about." Dumbledore tried to end the matter but McGonagall wouldn't let him.  She lowered her voice even more to an urgent whisper as she said:

"But what about her parents?  Aren't you worried about them?"  
"I have no reason to be."  
"It could put several students at this school in severe danger!"  
"Mia has assured me that Jasna is completely safe."

"It's not Jasna herself that I'm worried about…" McGonagall looked around as if afraid someone was eavesdropping, "What if her father finds her here?"

"Her father won't find her here."  
"What if she follows in his footsteps?"  
"My dear Minerva!" Dumbledore finally stopped to look at her, "I don't think we should judge people by who their parents are.  We need to treat the students depending on how they themselves behave, not how their parents did."

"How can we even be sure Mia is a reliable source?" McGonagall asked, "For all we know, she can be as dangerous as Jasna's father!"  
"Mia Larden despises the father of her child.  But she loves Jasna dearly and she will do anything for her.  Mia is a very reliable source and, if you ever met her, Minerva, you would agree.  We will discuss this matter no further.  Jasna!" Dumbledore called the child so McGonagall could ask no more questions.  Jasna hurried to them again, like a polite and obedient little dog.

"We will discuss this matter further, Albus," McGonagall muttered under her breath.

The two professors led Jasna to the Charms class, where Professor Flitwick was teaching the Ravenclaw sixth years.

"Why, Hello Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall," Flitwick said in his high, cheery voice.

"Hello, Professor Flitwick.  We are just showing Jasna the school."  
"Jasna.  Y-A-S-N-A?"  
"No, it's spelt with a J," Jasna answered, "J-A-S-N-A."

"Oh, I see!" Flitwick laughed.  A few of the Ravenclaws were whispering and watching Jasna in the doorway.  She suddenly felt extremely self-conscious.

"Well, we'll leave you to your class, Professor!" Dumbledore said and left with McGonagall.  Jasna was still examining the students.  
"Jasna!"  
"Sorry!" She jumped and ran after them.  She heard the Ravenclaws laughing as she left.

Their next stop was the dungeons and the Slytherin and Gryffindor fifth years' Potions class.  Jasna noticed one boy, a blond-haired Slytherin, look unusually interested at her as Dumbledore introduced her to Snape and the rest of the class.

"Jasna.  Is that with a Y?"  
"With a J, sir," Jasna answered.

"Ah, yes, with a J, of course!" Snape smiled.  Jasna saw him slip Dumbledore a look and Dumbledore just shook his head.  
"Not now," he muttered.  Jasna couldn't help noticing that one Slytherin boy.  She saw him muttering to his friends.  Snape turned back to the class when he noticed the silence.  
"Well?  What are you waiting for?  Get back to work!" everyone did so, except the blond boy, Draco Malfoy.

"She's the one," Malfoy muttered to his two goons, "She's perfect.  Look at those green eyes, wide with awe and innocence.  Fair skin, wavy black hair just past her shoulders… Perfect."  
"Perfect for what?"  
"She is beauty at it's finest, my dear Goyle!  The perfect sacrifice," Malfoy grinned, "Yes, she appears to be about our age… I hope she's in Slytherin.  It will be much easier that way."

"I think Malfoy fancies that new girl," Ron whispered to Harry who giggled.

"I heard Heights didn't take a liking to her.  In fact, I heard he wanted to chase her but Dumbledore said no," Harry said.

"Where'd you hear that?" Hermione asked.  
"The Hufflepuffs.  They were in his class when he said it."

"Poor girl.  She looks so innocent."  
"I know what you mean, Hermione.  I feel sorry for her too," Ron sighed.  Harry and Hermione looked at him suspiciously.  But their suspicions were put to rest when Ron added, "I pity the girl who Malfoy lusts after."

"Helen, would you show Jasna to the Gryffindor tower please?" Dumbledore asked a kind looking, perky blond Prefect.

"Of course, Professor!" she grinned.  Dumbledore smiled at her.

"Thank you Helen," he said.  He looked down at Jasna; "This is where I leave you, Jasna.  You can see me if ever you need to.  Helen is a Gryffindor prefect.  If you have any questions, you can ask her.  She will explain the rest of the rules to you.  Do well, I don't think your mother wants you to have to change schools again."

"Thank you, Professor," Jasna said, sweetly.  Dumbledore smiled again and left.  As he turned the corner, he saw McGonagall there.

"Hello, Minerva."  
"Professor Dumbledore, don't you think-"  
"The hat sorted her into Gryffindor.  I don't think it would have done that if she was a threat."  
"There is such a thing as bravery in villains!" McGonagall replied.  Dumbledore laughed.

"She's fifteen!  And you think she's a villain?  Please, Minerva, be realistic!  Besides, she's your responsibility now so you better watch over her." McGonagall was shocked with this reply and she stopped and stared after Dumbledore, who continued walking and smiling.

"The tower is just this way.  Come on, I'll show you," Helen said, leading Jasna down the hall.  Up staircases and down hallways, Helen explained the dos and don'ts of the school.  She even gave her a brief background on the teachers.

"McGonagall is always strict, but in my opinion, she's a very fine witch.  Snape favors the Slytherins, usually.  Don't take it personally if he doesn't take a liking to you right away.  The new Defense Against Dark Arts teacher, Professor Heights, is pretty stern about your defense techniques.  He's an Auror, you see, and a very proud one, so don't offend him.  He's very particular about the way you do things and even if, in your opinion, you write the perfect paper, when he hands it back, you will always see all this red ink all over it…"

Finally, they approached the portrait of the Fat Lady.  
"Log Fregs!" Helen cried, and turned to Jasna who looked confused; "It wasn't my idea.  I think she was a little out of it when she came up with it.  I think she meant to say 'Frog Legs.'  Go on, in you go!" Helen ushered Jasna in the door.  Again, Jasna was in awe.  The common room was so cozy.  She grinned.  She loved it.  Helen saw the smile on her face.

"Yeah, it is a nice place, isn't it?" she said, looking around.  A girl at the fireplace with bushy-brown hair looked up from the book she was reading.

"Hello," she smiled kindly at Jasna.  Jasna already liked it here.  No one knew about her, with the exception of a few teachers.  And that way, no one could be prejudice against her for it.

"Hi!" she replied, with all the enthusiasm of a first year.  That was how she felt, after all.

"I'm Hermione," the girl greeted, holding out her hand.

"I'm-" but before Jasna could finish, she saw one boy tumble down the stairs and hit his head.  
"OWE!" he cried angrily, "Harry, that hurt!" Another boy climbed down the stairs after him, laughing hard.

"And they-" Hermione pointed at the two boys, rolling her eyes, "Are Harry and Ron." Harry stopped laughing and looked up.  Ron noticed he was looking something and turned his head to see what it was.

"Hey, you're that new girl," Ron said, "The American."

"Actually, my- no, you're right, American," Jasna nodded, vigorously.  She wasn't about to say her father was British.  She didn't want to think about her father ever again unless she had to.

"Cool." Harry nodded.  The room was silent.

"So!" Hermione said, trying to make conversation, "What part of the United States are you from?"

"Massachusetts," Jasna said, "I transferred here from St. Laurel's Academy of Witchcraft." Hermione looked impressed.

"Wow.  They have a high reputation."

"If it was such a good school, why did you transfer?" Harry asked.  
"Well… My mom thought it would be better if I went to England.  You know, see the world," Jasna shrugged.  
"So she pulled you out of school in the middle of the year?" Ron was skeptical.

"It was the only time Hogwarts would take me," Jasna answered.  She was becoming uneasy with the topic of conversation, "So, what's it like here?" she asked.

"Nothing special," Ron said.

"I heard it's a great school," Jasna said.  There was another silence.

"What was your name again?" Hermione asked, realizing she hadn't caught her name.

"Oh!  Jasna, Jasna Larden."

"Jasna.  Is that like, Y-A-S-N-A?  Or I-A-S-N-A?" Harry asked.

"Actually, it's with a J," Jasna said, "I should just say that 'Jasna with a J' whenever people ask." She gave a little laugh.

"Oh, by the way, whatever you do, stay away from Malfoy.  I think he likes you," Ron said before Hermione elbowed him in the gut making him emit an 'oof' sound.  
"What?" Jasna said with a laugh.

"Well, the way he was talking about you to his stupid goons in Potions the other day-"  
"Ron, shut up," Hermione said through clenched teeth.

"Ignore him," Harry smiled at Jasna, "He doesn't know when to shut up." Jasna grinned.  She knew she was going to like these people.


	2. Bipolar Outburst

Chapter 2: Bipolar Outburst

"Don't you think she's the least bit odd?" Hermione asked the two boys on their way to the Great Hall one morning a few weeks later.

"Not at all!" Ron rolled his eyes.

"Why, Hermione?"

"Well, she didn't notice your scar, for one.  She didn't ask if you were Harry Potter."  
"Maybe she's dense," Ron shrugged.

"She went to St. Laurel's, Ron." Hermione said, as if that was a satisfying justification that she was smart.

"So?  Who knows?  Maybe all of them are dense.  Maybe they never heard of Harry.  Or You-Know-Who for that matter."  
"I wouldn't go insulting a whole race, Ron," Harry warned.

"I repeat, Ron.  She went to St. Laurel's.  She's bound to have read about him.  St. Laurel's is among the top ten schools in America for witchcraft and wizardry," Hermione told the two of them.

"Give her a break.  You're suspicious about everyone." Harry said.  
"I am not.  I like her, I do, and she seems extremely nice.  But I just think it's weird."  
"Just because she didn't know who I was doesn't make her weird, Hermione," Harry rolled his eyes.

"You're right, I'm being paranoid," Hermione sighed.

"Yes, Hermione.  They say the first step to recovery is admitting it," Ron put his arm on her shoulder with false sympathy, but when she gave him an angry look, he drew away.  Harry laughed.

When they entered the Great Hall, they saw Jasna at the Gryffindor table, laughing and making friends quite easily.

"Hey, Jasna with a J," Ron greeted as he sat down across from her.

"Hello Ron.  Hey Harry.  Hi Hermione," Jasna greeted each of them with a smile.

"Aren't you polite," Hermione grinned.

"It's St. Laurel's, I guess," Jasna shrugged.  As Harry and Hermione took their seats as well, the owls swooped in for the morning post.  A large barn owl dropped Hermione's edition of the Daily Prophet and Jasna received something as well, from a dark black owl.  Her smile quickly faded and Harry and Ron watched her read the letter.  She stood up, her face blank and said:  
"I have to see Professor Dumbledore," and with that, she left, taking the letter with her.  Harry frowned and looked at Ron, who shrugged.  Hermione was busy scanning her paper.

"Maybe I should go see what that was about…" Harry said, standing up.  Harry ran out of the hall after Jasna.  He saw her up ahead a bit.  She was walking like a zombie, her eyes looking straight ahead, her face expressionless, her hand squeezing the letter in her hand.  
"Jasna!" Harry called.  Jasna didn't respond, "Jasna!" Harry ran up to her and started walking with her, "Jasna, is something wrong?"  
"No." her answer was final, but it didn't satisfy Harry.

"Then, why are you going to see Dumbledore?"

"Because something is wrong."  
"Oh…" Harry said, "Well… what is it?"  
"Nothing."

"Oh, so you can tell Dumbledore but you can't tell me?"

"Yes."  
"Oh." Harry didn't know what else to say, "Well… Great!" he shrugged, "I'm coming with you." Jasna sighed.

"Do you have to?"  
"Yes."  
"Why?"  
"I'm worried about you." Jasna stopped walking and turned to Harry, confused.

"But… You just met me."  
"That means I can't be worried about you?" Harry asked.  Jasna shook her head.

"No, it's just… How do you know I'm not evil?  Like, some psycho killer who could stab you to death in your sleep!" Harry laughed.

"You?  An evil killer?  Hardly!" he said through his laughter.  Jasna frowned and Harry stopped laughing, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you." Jasna smiled.

"No, you've just made my day," she told him, honestly.  He was so sweet.  She wondered why anyone would want him dead.  She sighed and looked at the letter in her hand.  She noticed that Harry was looking at it too.

"It's about that letter, isn't it?" Harry asked.  Jasna closed her eyes tight to make sure she wouldn't cry and nodded.

"What's in that letter?" he asked.  Jasna shook her head, "Oh, so you're giving me the silent treatment now?" Jasna began to shake her head again, but then stopped.

"I mean, no, I'm not.  It's just…" she couldn't finish.  Her voice was shaking and Harry suddenly became very aware about how serious this must be.

"What's in that letter, Jasna?" he asked her.

"You'll hate me!" she snapped, so suddenly it made Harry jump.

"No, I won't."  
"You don't understand."  
"Yes I do."  
"No, you don't!" she screamed.  Harry backed away against the wall.  She was loud.  He was sure someone had heard her.

"Jasna, calm down…" he tried to keep his own voice steady.  Something was horribly wrong.

"No, I won't calm down!" she cried again, taking out her wand.  
"Jasna… No magic in the halls… I'm sure you know that…" Harry's eyes were wide with surprise.  What was she doing?  Had he been wrong about that murdering thing?  Jasna was pointing her wand at him now.  She was very angry and she was breathing heavily.  Her wand hand was shaking.

 "You don't understand.  No one understands.  Not even Dumbledore!  He hates me too, they all do!  That's why they don't want me here!  That's why they kicked me out of St. Laurel's!  I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING!  Do you hear that Professor Grant?  I HAVEN'T DONE A SINGLE THING WRONG!" she shouted at the ceiling.

"OK, Jasna, you're scaring me," Harry said, with a worried smile.

"Scared?" Jasna had disgusted disbelief written all over her face as she spat out the word spitefully, "SCARED?!  You don't even know what SCARED is!  You haven't laid in your bed since infancy, begging that your hateful father wouldn't kidnap you that night.  Maybe, for one night, he'd leave you alone.  You never watched your mother cry when your father sent her across the room with a powerful curse.  You never felt so helpless as you saw your mother, the poor wreck of a mother, fall to pieces before your eyes.  I bet you never cried as you listened to how your father compared himself to you.  'The ambition,' he'd say!  'The intelligence!  The power!  The strength!  You get that from me, all from me, not from your weak mother!'  You wouldn't flinch as he touched your cheek, telling you how great you could be.  'If only you weren't so cowardly!'  You know, he never once said the word 'love.'  Not about me, or my mother, or anything else.  He told me how he treasured me, like a diamond necklace.  But one doesn't weep for a broken necklace as one would weep for a broken daughter.  You have no idea what fear is, Harry Potter."

Now, Harry thought that was a bit unfair that she could say that to him.  His silence seemed to speak for itself as Jasna sighed, rolled her eyes and shook her head.  She looked much more evil than Harry ever could have imagined her to look.  She smiled a tired and fed-up smile.

"Oh yes, I forgot," she said, sardonically, "You're big old, famous Harry Potter.  The one everyone loves.  The one who thinks he deserves all the pity and fame that he has.  Let me tell you something.  'Poor Harry Potter!  He lost his parents to the evil Dark Lord!'  I heard you and Dumbledore were the only people who dare say his name.  I'll give you one more person who dare say his name.  Voldemort.  There.  Want to hear it again?  VOLDEMORT!"

"Harry, Jasna, we heard…" Hermione trailed off as she and Ron saw what was going on.

"Well, what is all this noise.  Who said that name…" but McGonagall trailed off as well.  The scene was quite interesting and frightening.  Jasna looked insane, her raven hair tossing wildly behind her as she shook her head and her green eyes burning with hatred.  She held her wand pointed at Harry, firmly, her hand trembling slightly still.  Harry looked shocked as he tried to back up against the wall even more.

"Jasna!" McGonagall cried, "Put that wand down this instant!"  
"No I will NOT Professor!" Jasna screamed, eyes still on Harry, "Won't anyone let me finish?"  
"Go on, Jasna," Harry nodded carefully, mouth slightly open, "Continue."

"You think you're the only one.  Harry Potter, the boy who killed Lord Voldemort," Jasna hissed the next words like a snake as she narrowed her eyes, "He's still alive, you know.  You haven't killed him.  Though I wish you had.  You would have put an end to my misery right then and there.  You're worshiped because you brought an end to the Dark Lord.  But that was merely a show.  That was nothing.  He was gone to the majority of the wizarding world, and for a while, my mother and I lived happily.  When I was five was when he returned for the first time.  Four years after his fall.  He was in the body of a poor wizard, half-dead.  But he had enough strength to render my mother unconscious and steal me away again for the night.  Have you ever been afraid of the dark, Harry?  Well?  Have you?  ANSWER ME GOD DAMN IT!" Jasna stamped her foot.  Harry decided he'd nod.  He knew neither answer would make her happy.

"Not like I have.  Not like I dreaded the night.  Every night, a new body, a muggle, the occasional wizard.  But he was still very weak.  He needed you.  Do you know how many times he demanded to know where you were?  Of both me and my mother?  Do you know how much he tortured us when we wouldn't submit?  WE WENT THROUGH HELL TO PROTECT YOU!  And you still got all the glory.  Well for once, Harry Potter, I want people to see you for who you really are.  You're a phony.  You were a lucky break.  You did absolutely nothing to bring about the 'fall' of Lord Voldemort.  You were a lucky child.  Unfortunately, your parents weren't as lucky as you.  Let me tell you, as bad as you say you have it, Harry Potter, I'd trade places with you any day.  I've been through more in my life than even famous Harry Potter and I get no credit for MY bravery!  Stupid Harry Potter.  Always the one in the lime light.  Little did those people know on the same day, the same hour Harry Potter came into being, so did Jasna Marie Larden.  And they didn't know that I have defied the Dark Lord more times than even Harry Potter."

There was silence as the scene froze there.  Jasna was still breathing heavily nothing else moved.  The doors to the Great Hall opened again and a few students poked their heads out.  Suddenly, a hand flew the door wide open and the ones outside could see that every head in the Great Hall was turned to the door, wondering where the shouting was coming from.  Snape exited the Hall and closed the door behind him.  Dumbledore appeared at the other end of the hall.

"Professor Dumbledore, just in time," Snape said.  Dumbledore took quick steps to the scene in the hall.  
"Jasna," he said, kindly and yet sternly at the same time, "Put the wand down and come with me." Jasna turned to him, taking her eyes off of Harry.  Harry chose this moment to draw his own wand, only intending to use it if he had to.  Without warning, Jasna broke down.  She fell to her knees and began to cry.  Dumbledore went quickly to her.

"Harry, I suppose you need an explanation.  Jasna, Harry, come with me.  Severus and Minerva, you come too.  Ron, Hermione, stay.  Inform the teachers in the Great Hall that everything is under control and they don't have to worry."  Dumbledore took Jasna by the hand and pulled her to her feet.  With a secure arm around Jasna, he led the group up to his office.  The walk there was quiet apart from Jasna' s sobs and McGonagall muttering to Snape.

"I warned him that Jasna was a risk."

"Don't base too much on lineage," Snape muttered.

"You saw what she did!  She's unstable."  
"She is no more unstable than Harry Potter."  
"Why are you taking his side?"  
"I don't trust her either, but I trust Dumbledore.  I thought you did too." This comment silenced McGonagall.  As they approached the office, though, McGonagall muttered,

"I swear, she's bipolar."


	3. A Reasonable Explination

A/N: I'm going to London with my ISTA (International School Theater Association) group so this won't be updated for about a week. Sorry. Still, I live off of reviews, give me something to survive off of ;-). REVIEW! I can't stress that enough.

Chapter Three: A Reasonable Explanation

"Now I don't know exactly what went on in that corridor, but I know it couldn't have been good.  Jasna, what did you tell him?" Dumbledore asked.

"That outburst was me in a nutshell, Professor," she whispered, hugging her knees.

"You told him everything?"  
"No, not quite."  
"What did you leave out?"  
"I wouldn't like to say right now, sir," Jasna whispered.  Dumbledore smiled and looked at Professors McGonagall and Snape.

"I suppose, Minerva, you want to send this girl away again.  Out of the school, into the dangerous world where her father can find her more easily?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well, maybe if she went back to a school in America it would be safer…"  
"I knew it," Snape sighed and shook his head.

"You knew what?" McGonagall snapped at him.  
"You don't care about her in the least!"  
"And you do?"  
"Well, this is a switch," Dumbledore grinned.

"Of course I do!  You just want her out of here!"

"Excuse me, Professor Snape, but I care about her wellbeing just as I care about his wellbeing," McGonagall motioned at Harry, "And the wellbeing of every student in this school.  I just think it would be safer for her to learn witchcraft in a country that would be hard for You-Know-Who to find her."  
"Professor," Harry whispered to Dumbledore, "Shouldn't we stop this?  Don't you think Jasna will be uncomfortable?"  
"No, let them go on," Dumbledore said with an amused smile, "I want to see the points they come up with."

"The only place He won't find her is Siberia, Professor McGonagall!" Snape returned in the same, formal fashion McGonagall used, "Right now, Hogwarts is safest for her, under Dumbledore's eyes.  I suppose, next you will be suggesting we send her and Harry Potter BOTH off to Siberia… Ooh, there's a thought…" Snape trailed off.

"I don't want to send either one of them to Siberia, Professor Snape.  America seems like a fine choice-"  
"Every single school in America knows who she is, Professor!" Snape cried, "Do you think any school would accept her?" Jasna let out a stifled sob but the two arguing professors didn't seem to notice.

"We accepted her, didn't we?"  
"That's because Dumbledore believes she-"  
"Excuse me," came a small voice.  Finally, Snape and McGonagall turned to look at the person who spoke.

"Go on, Jasna," Dumbledore encouraged her.

"Just incase my opinion matters," she whispered, "I think I'll be fine here.  I won't hurt anyone.  The only reason I lost control was because he was asking too many questions and I just got fed up."  
"Fed up?" Dumbledore asked.  Harry frowned.  He didn't think he asked too many questions.  He was just trying to console her, that was all.

"Actually, sir, yes.  It wasn't even the questions, it was the fact that he was there.  I couldn't stand it."  
"You couldn't stand me being there?" Harry asked, slightly offended, but understanding at the same time.  
"No, not exactly."

"You're confusing the boy, Jasna, not to mention the rest of us," Dumbledore said.

"I'd just received this letter, sir," Jasna said, showing him the letter she'd received, "And when he showed up… I just didn't need him there, sir.  You'll understand why if you read this letter." Jasna handed the letter to Dumbledore.  Dumbledore opened the letter and his eyes scanned through it.

"Ah," he said, "Yes, I see.  Perhaps Minerva was right, then."  
"I was?  I mean, yes, of course!" McGonagall nodded.

"No." Jasna stood up.  Dumbledore looked confused.

"Aren't you afraid he might take advantage of your position?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes.  But I'm not about to leave."  
"Why not?"  
"He can't get to Harry Potter through me," Jasna turned to Harry, "As I said, Harry.  We went through Hell for you.  And I'll go through it a thousand more times before I betray your trust."

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor," Dumbledore grinned, "Now, I think I've kept you long enough.  Tell your teachers you were with me.  After the scene at breakfast this morning, I'm sure they'll understand."  
"Did they… Hear anything?" Jasna asked, cautiously.  Snape stood and shook his head.

"I assure you, Miss Larden, the people in the Great Hall heard muffled screams of anger, but no distinct words… except they might recall a certain name that seeped through the doors…"  
"Right," Jasna nodded.  She turned to Harry and with an embarrassed smile said, "I did say his name kind of loud, didn't I?" Harry laughed.

"Come on," he said, offering his hand, "We're late for class."

As they walked to Herbology together, Jasna was nervous.  
"You won't… You won't say anything, will you?" she asked him, shyly.  Harry gave her a reassuring smile.

"About what?"  
"About what I said in the hall."  
"What did you say in the hall?"  
"You know, all that stuff I said about my family and stuff."  
"What stuff?"  
"Don't play dumb!  Remember in the hall when I had my- wait… Oh!  I'm sorry!" Jasna flushed as she realized what he was doing.  But Harry just laughed.

"I won't say a thing," he promised her.  Jasna smiled back.

"You don't hate me?"  
"I must admit, you had me there for a while.  But no, I don't hate you, Jasna.  I'm glad you got all that off your chest.  But I have to say, you do scare me a little." Jasna laughed at Harry's last comment.

"I'm sorry if I insulted you."  
"Oh no.  I mean, well, you did, but don't be sorry.  You put up a good fight.  I think Ron will love you." Jasna rolled her eyes as Harry laughed again.  He was being a terribly good sport about all this, "Come to think of it, I think I have a good opponent for you."  
"Oh really?" Jasna said with a laugh, "And who's that?"  
"I think you could teach Draco Malfoy a thing or two in manners." At that, they both laughed.  Soon, they approached the green house.  They entered it quietly.  A few heads turned and eyed them suspiciously.  Jasna gave a small, weak and embarrassed wave.  She didn't like attention because most of the attention she got was bad attention (unless it came from her mother, the only thing in the world she lived for.)

Harry took a seat next to Ron and motioned Jasna to do the same sit on his other side.  Hermione was positioned on Ron's left and he leaned in to whisper to her.

"Why are those two so chummy all of a sudden?" Hermione shrugged.

"Dunno.  But be quiet!  Sprout will wonder what we're talking about.  Get back to work."  
"Mr. Potter, Miss Larden, where have you two been?"  
"We've been with Professor Dumbledore, Ma'am!" Jasna replied, obediently.  Sprout nodded.

"I see.  Well, today, we are reading about the Vepres plant, after a nasty incident a while ago when a student got caught in one.  Tomorrow, we will observe a Vepres plant and how it captures and kills its prey, usually small mammals, but has been known to render things such as human beings unconscious and delirious.  Read pages 20-48 in your books tonight."

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Jasna were walking back to the common room from their last class.

"Harry, could I talk to you for a minute?" Jasna asked.

"Sure." Harry shrugged.  Jasna looked around at Ron and Hermione, nervously, "Oh, THAT kind of talk.  Ron, Hermione, we'll catch up with you in the common room."

Ron and Hermione reluctantly went on ahead as Harry and Jasna stayed behind.  
"I don't like her," Hermione muttered to Ron.

"Why not?" Ron asked.

"Well, you remembered what happened last time we left Harry alone with her."  
"She told us it wouldn't happen again and Harry backed her up."

"Well, then, what if she's flirting with him?" Hermione asked.  Ron stopped and laughed.  
"Why would you care?  Oh, Hermione, please don't tell me…"

"No!" she cried, "I don't feel that way towards him."

"Sure."  
"I don't!"

"I believe you."  
"Ron!" Hermione cried.  Ron grinned, "Besides…" Hermione trailed off.

"Besides… what?" Ron's grin widened.

"I'm… Nothing."

"Besides what?!" Ron repeated.

"I'm… seeing Viktor."  
"Oh…" Ron looked at his feet, "Never mind."

  
"What did you want to talk about, Jasna?" Harry asked, as he and Jasna continued to walk.

"Why are you being so nice to me?  You're being such a good sport about this."

"Well, if I had a father like that, I'd want people to be nice to me." Jasna stopped walking and when Harry saw this, so did he, "What?" he asked.

"You're just taking pity on me?  That's the only reason you're being nice to me?"

"Well, no, not really-"  
"Don't LIE!  If there's one thing I can't stand in this world, it's LIES!"  
"I'm not-"  
"Just shut the hell up.  Listen to me for once! I've had enough lies to fill twelve lifetimes! I DON'T NEED THIS!!" Jasna yelled, quivering in rage.

"Jasna, I-"

"You are just like all the rest! You don't care WHO I am! You just look at my father, and see right past me! I'm not even there!" 

"All right, that's a bit unfair!" Harry protested.

"Unfair? Don't tell ME what's unfair!" Jasna pointed at him menacingly, with an accusing look in her eyes. 

"Jasna, stop talking. I am so sick of hearing all about you, it's always, 'poor Jasna, everyone pity her now'. Well it's time to hear about ME for once."

"Oh Harry, don't you get it? People have been hearing about you all their lives. They know everything about you, and I don't think they care. I think it's time that the Famous Harry Potter stepped aside, and let someone else have a chance to be heard."

Harry was speechless. He had never before been spoken to in such manner as with this girl. Not in the wizarding world. 

"Jasna, you know, you…you…are…NOT NICE!" Jasna snorted.

"Who says I want to be?"

"Maybe you should give an effort. Maybe then people would give a damn about your life." 

Jasna was rigid, and her eyes were glowing with pure hatred.

"You need to get a clue, Harry Potter. You need to try to understand things better, and yes, I know it will be hard with minute brain strength, but you need to think. Think about what people have gone through to protect you, what they have SACRIFICED TO SAVE YOUR PATHETIC SOUL! Think of the people who have been lost, and found, and destroyed, and…created…just because you lived. That's all you did, really. You survived, and now everyone thinks you're wonderful. The boy wonder. But I don't think so. I know it's not so. You disgust me, Potter. You do."

And with that, Jasna stormed off down the stairs.

"UGH!" Harry said with frustration, and went up the stairs to the common room.

A/N (yes again, shuddup): REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!! PLEASE! As I said, can't stress it enough. A lot of you are authors, you know what it's like to receive reviews. If I could (who knows, maybe I will) I'll send you a personal thank you by e-mail (if I'm bored enough and assuming you leave your address). If you want a personal thank you, say so when you REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!


	4. Drowning Dreams

Chapter Four: Drowning Dreams

Jasna was filled with a rage as she came upon the unfortunate person who had overheard that terrible ordeal.

"Jasna!" Malfoy said brightly. "Jasna! Just wanted to say…Good show!"

Jasna walked on past him, ignoring his sputtering.

"You put him in his place! You showed hi-"

"BITE ME!" Jasna whirled around, yelling, and ran down the remainder of the stairs out to the school grounds.

Malfoy stared after her, thinking 'WOW! A girl after my own heart!'

Jasna stomped off down the school grounds when she realized she didn't know where she was going.

"Well!" She cried.  She decided she'd go pay Hagrid a visit.

"Good evenin', Jasna!" Hagrid greeted her when he opened his door.

"What's good about it?" Jasna asked as she walked straight past him into the cabin.  
"Well, come on in, why don't ya?" Hagrid said with a chuckle.

"Don't give me all that happy shit!" she said, angrily, falling into one of his chairs.  Hagrid's smile disappeared and was replaced with confusion.

"Um, well, er, uh…" he stuttered.  
"Well spit it out, you freak!"

"Jasna, I don' think-"  
"You're right, you don't think!"

"Jasna, that's enough!  I won' take that kind o' language in me house!" Jasna just gave a pout, like a little girl.

"Now, if all yer gonna do is shout at me, an' use nasty words, then git out." Hagrid said, pointing to the door. Jasna remained motionless, and Hagrid sighed, pouring hot water into a cup.

"Here, 'ave some tea, then."

"I don't want-"

"You'll have some tea, or you'll look at it while I have some!"

Jasna sat back, and crossed her arms.

"Well, I bet…I bet it's crummy tea, then…" She said grumpily.

"Aye." Hagrid said, ignoring the meaning of her harsh words.

Harry tromped up the stairs, looking out at the castle grounds, and he sighed.

"She is so annoying!" He said and slammed his fist onto a stone.

"OW! That hurt!" Harry gingerly held his wounded hand as he continued down the stairway.

"Potter! Well, I guess you now know what a good telling off is like!" Malfoy said, sneering as Harry rounded the bend.

"Yes, and I've never had one before," Harry rolled his eyes. "Now go away, Malfoy."

"Well, that was rather weak, wasn't it?"

"What?"

"You usually say, 'eat slugs' or some such nonsense to me. It's tradition."

"Tradition?" 

"Yes, you idiot! Tradition. You know, that thing, where you do something over and over?"

"Yes, I am aware of what tradition is, Malfoy. Now go away."

"Hmph," Malfoy slumped against the wall. "Well I guess tradition doesn't mean much to a boy without any parents."

Harry stood stock-still, closed his eyes, anger simmering inside him, and walked on.

"That's right, Potter. Move on. Forget all about the little people in your famous life. Forget all about Jasna, too. Though she's probably been through more than you ever have."

"Eat slugs, Malfoy!" Harry called back over his shoulder.

"There we go!" Malfoy said, satisfied.  Harry rolled his eyes and walked towards the Gryffindor common room.  He gave the password to the Fat Lady and entered the common room, extremely angry.  Hermione looked up from her book.  
"You're late," she said.

"So?" Harry snapped.

"She was just making a statement!  Calm down!" Ron said.

"Let me tell you something!  You get in a fight with the only person who could begin to understand you, she calls you a pathetic, fake boy wonder and you tell me if you could calm down!  To top it off, have your worst enemy try and make you feel worse by blabbing on about the definition of tradition!"  
"Wait… Jasna said what now?" Ron asked.  Hermione was fed up herself.  She slammed her book shut.  
"I swear, Harry!" She cried, "What is it with you and that girl?  One minute, you're the best of friends, as friendly as can be, the next, your screaming your heads off at each other, then you're friends, then enemies!  And why won't you tell us what went on in that hall!  You've never kept secrets from us before!  What makes this so different?  We're your friends, Harry!  We've been through everything together!  And yet, you and Jasna Larden are sharing secrets!  What is so important that you can't even tell your best friends?"

"I'll tell you what the 'big secret' is!  Everyone else seems to know!  Jasna's dad is- I mean, never mind…" Harry said.  Hermione gave out a frustrated growl.

"You see?  You won't tell us a thing!"  
"Be glad you don't know!  I wish I didn't!"

"Wait, shut up!" Ron cried.  Harry and Hermione ignored him.  
"Maybe if you just told us it wouldn't be so bad!"  
"Are you encouraging me to share someone's private secret?"  
"I said shut up!" again, they ignored Ron.

"Why are you taking her side?  I thought you were mad at her!"  
"SHUT UP!!!" Ron screamed.  Finally, Harry and Hermione noticed.

"Oh, hi Ron," Hermione forced a smile.

"No more yelling!  I think I've had enough of that today.  You, go over there," he said to Hermione.

"But-"  
"Oh, just get back to your book and shut up!" Ron interrupted.  Hermione gave out a frustrated and reluctant 'Hmph' before walking back over to her chair.  Harry was laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" Ron asked and Harry was silenced, "You, go and find Jasna and apologize."

"But I don't know-"  
"Hagrid's.  I saw her make her way there.  No GO!"

"Fine!" Harry said as he left through the portrait hole, "But I don't know why I need to apologize.  It's her fault-"  
"GO!" Ron cried, pointing at the portrait hole.  Harry, rolling his eyes, exited.

"So, Jasna, 'ow's school been?" Hagrid rose a cup up to his mouth and tried to start a pleasant conversation. Jasna chose not to participate. 

"Hm, well that's nice." Jasna glared at the friendly giant. 

"Do you enjoy being annoying and stupid?"

"Do you wanna tell me what's wrong?!"

"Do you have to answer a question with a question?!"

"Does that bother yeh all that much?!"

"Why the hell wouldn't it?!"

"Why are yeh bein' so mean n nasty?!"

"Why NOT?!"

Hagrid sighed, and stood up, showing his full height. Suddenly, Jasna felt very small.

"Um, should I leave?" she asked, sheepishly, as she stood up herself.

"Do yeh want ta leave?"  
"What's with the question thing?"

"Why are yeh asking me?"  
"Arg! I'm going!" she said as she stomped off.

"No, Jasna, wait!" he called after her, "I'm sorry!  What's wrong?"

"It's way too complicated," Jasna said as she walked off towards the school.  The sun had set when she was in Hagrid's hut.

The evening air was clear as Jasna stepped out of the cabin. 

"Well, what do I do now?" Jasna asked herself. "I can't go back to Hagrid, duh, and I can't go to the common room…'cause…they'll…yell…at…me…"

She sat down on the bank of the lake, pondering her predicament as she saw stars' reflections begin to appear on the glassy surface. She looked up at the castle, looming in the night sky. 

"Everyone hates me." Jasna mumbled to herself, as she looked at the forbidding towers and doorways of Hogwarts. 

"That's not true."

"Wha-a-a?!?!" Jasna jumped up, and began frantically looking for the owner of the voice.

"Relax. Relax. Settle down." Harry came out of the shadows of a nearby tree. He had an amused smile on his face.

"Don't DO that!!" Harry laughed.

"Why are you here?" asked Jasna coldly. Harry was silent, and said

"Well, you see, I was just…um…taking a walk! And, I, um, was talking to Ron and…"

"Where's Ron?" Jasna asked, looking around.

"He, um, he… Ran away.  Well, anyway what he told me to say was…" he muttered something barely audible.

"What?" 

"I said…" he muttered again.

"What? You say you're sorry?"

"No, I said it was a lovely night! OF COURSE I SAID I'M SORRY!" Harry was suddenly silent. He kicked the grass, and put his hands in his robe pockets.

"Yeah, well you should be…" Jasna said under her breath. 

"What?"

"I said yeah, swell wooden trees."

"OK.  Well, anyway, I just need to treat you with… more… respect," he muttered, reluctantly.

"Don't worry, it was my fault," she sighed, finally.

"Yeah, well, it was my… fault… too…" he muttered again.  This was hard for him to say.

"No, it wasn't it was my fault." She cried.

"No." Harry disagreed.

"Yes." Jasna snapped, her temper returning.

"No."

"Yes, it was."

"No, it was my fault!"

"No! It was MINE!" Jasna shouted

"Look, I'm trying to apologize, here! Just SHUT UP, AND LET ME DO IT!!" Harry screamed at her

"Oh, cut the crap, and ADMIT it was me!" Jasna screamed back

"Look, I came to apologize, and-" 

"Oh stop saying what Ron TOLD you to say, and just admit it was MY fault!"

"No!" Harry protested.

"Yes!" Jasna poked him sharply in the chest to annunciate this.

"Don't poke me!"

"Then admit I'm the one to blame!"

"No!" Harry pushed her away.

"Don't push me!"

"I will if I want to!"

"Oh yeah?!"

"Yeah!"

With that they began pushing and shoving at each other until it became a particularly brutal fight.  Jasna threw a punch at Harry, who dodged it and elbowed her in the ribs.  This made Jasna double over in pain and fall backwards.  As she was losing her balance, she grabbed onto Harry's robes.  They both screamed as they fell into the lake.  Harry tried to get out of the water and climb back onto the shore, but the fight wasn't over.  Jasna grabbed him by the collar and pulled him under.

"Had enough?" She laughed as she dunked him again.  But when he surfaced again, he twisted out of her grasp and pushed her backwards, making her fall under.

"HA!" Harry cried.  When she came up again, he pushed her head down.  This happened once more until Jasna finally succeeded in splashing the green water into his eyes.  Harry, now distracted, staggered and he fell backwards himself into the water.  Jasna jumped on him, pushing them both under.  Under the water, they tugged at each other and pulled at each other's robes.  Harry tore a piece off of Jasna's shoulder and Jasna enlarged his collar with a large rip.  Finally, they surfaced again, gasping for breath.  They stared at each other, both of them soaking wet, hair in their eyes, damp robes hanging pitifully off of their bodies and they both burst out laughing.

"Look at you!" Jasna cried, looking Harry up and down, "You look like… Like a… Like a dripping-wet skinny black puppy dog!"  
"I wouldn't be talking!" Harry returned.  Jasna grinned.

"I'm sorry."  
"No, I'm sorry."  
"Let's not start that again!" Jasna laughed.

"Remind me, how did we get in the lake again?"  
"We were arguing about whose fault it was that we got into a fight which led to another fight which led to me poking you which led to you pushing me which led to me punching you which led to you elbowing me which resulted in our fall into the lake."  
"What?"  
"Don't worry about it!" Jasna laughed again and sighed.  She pulled up her feet and lay on the surface of the water on her back, looking at the stars.  Harry copied her.

"Aren't they beautiful?" Jasna asked.

"Yeah, great," Harry muttered.  They just lay there, on their backs in silence, staring up at the stars.  Jasna couldn't be happier.

"You know what Harry?" she said.

"What?" Harry asked.  
"You're a real good friend."

Harry was about to reply, but he heard something.  He fell into the water.

"Did you hear that?" he asked Jasna.  
"Hear what?" Jasna was still floating on her back, staring dreamily up at the stars.  Harry looked around.

"Nothing…" he muttered.  He joined Jasna on his back again.  He was engulfed in his thoughts.  The stars were so peaceful, it was a great place to think.  There were things about Jasna that still worried him.  She'd said Voldemort had tortured here since she was a child.  But hadn't he been in hiding since she was a year old?  And what were the things she hadn't told him in that little outburst in the hall?  She seemed to love her mother a lot.  The way she spoke about her, it sounded as if she was an angel to her.  But how could a nice woman like that have such a nice daughter with a man that horrible?  He was so engrossed in his thoughts, he didn't hear, nor see the figure sneaking up behind them.

The last thing the two teenagers saw, was the bright stars as a curse rendered them unconscious.


	5. Separate Personalities, Separate Ways

Chapter Five: Separate Personalities, Separate Ways

"Where's Harry and Jasna?" Ron asked looking out the window, "They've been gone for ages.  What time is it, Hermione?"

"Eight o'clock," Hermione said, promptly, not looking up from her book.  Ron turned to her.  
"Aren't you worried at all?"  
"Not in the least."  
"Just because you had a small disagreement-"  
"It was NOT just a small disagreement, Ron!" Hermione cried, angrily, "I'm still mad at him!  We're his best friends, Ron, or at least we're supposed to be.  What is he hiding from us?  He's never hidden anything from us before!"  
"Hermione, you don't know that.  He could have hidden tons of stuff from us.  If he-"  
"Then more the reason!" Hermione interrupted, "He needs to open up!"  
"I think you're being nosey!" Ron cried.

"Nosey?" Hermione was incredulous, "You think I'm nosey?"  
"You just don't like Jasna, that's all!" Ron yelled, angrily.  
"That's not true!"  
"Yes it is!" he protested, "It is and you know it!  You hate her and you can't wait to find what her deep dark secret is so you'll have a reason to hate her!  All because you're…" but Ron couldn't bring himself to finish.  He turned away; he couldn't face her.  Hermione's anger left temporarily and a look of confusion crossed her face.

"Because I'm what, Ron?" she asked.

"Because you're… Never mind."  
"Because I'm WHAT, Ron?" she repeated.

"Because you're… seeing Krum." Ron muttered.  Hermione sighed.

"Yeah," she said, "Because I'm seeing Viktor."

Harry blinked.  Swell wooden trees… What?  He couldn't think straight.  Harry blinked again, but everything was so dark.  So many trees.  Swell wooden trees… What was with that thought?

Harry heard a groan of pain and looked across from him.  He saw a familiar looking girl, tied to a nearby tree.  She looked so familiar but he couldn't remember who she was.  He saw a man walk over to the girl and tilt up her head as he poured something down her throat.  The man grinned.  He was tall and it seemed as if someone had tossed a bale of hay on his head for a toupee.  The straw-colored hair stuck out at all angles and his eyes had a wild light in them.  Harry yawned and caught the man's attention.  He laughed a hysterical laugh.

"I see that Harry Potter has awoken from his slumber!"  
"What?"  
"But he is still a bit weary.  No matter."

"Who…"  
"Am I?  Well, actually, that's a very interesting story-"  
"No," Harry interrupted and nodded at the girl, "Who's she?"  
"Oh," the man sounded disappointed, "She, my good lad, in case you've forgotten, is the child of the Dark One."  
"What?"  
"She is the Dark Lord's daughter."  
"Who?"

"Maybe I should have given you that potion in smaller amounts," the man said.

"Who are you?" Harry asked.  
"Ah, so now he takes an interest in me!  I, I am the highly esteemed Robert Bronson.  But you can call me Bob.  I am a willful servant to the Dark Lord.  And he will be so pleased with me when he learns I have brought him not only Harry Potter, but his beloved daughter as well!" Harry's head was slowly clearing and he shook it.

"How did you get onto school grounds?"  
"It really isn't all that hard," Bob said, "There was no big plan involved.  I've been living in this forest for months and when I saw you two on the lake, it was just too perfect!"

"So what are you going to do with us?" Harry asked.

"You needn't worry about that," Bob grinned.  Harry glanced over and noticed that the familiar girl was wide-awake.  She was watching him and Bob, watching them talk.  She was fiddling with something… She winked at him and he decided he'd distract Bob.

"What are you waiting for?  Aren't you planning on taking us to your Lord?" Harry raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Well, my Lord and I… We haven't been on the best of terms.  But when he finds that I have his daughter and his worst enemy, he will accept me again!  It will be most spectacular!  There will be respect and rewards…" Bob went on and on with a glazed look to his wild eyes about how wonderful it would be when Voldemort discovers how loyal he was to him.  Harry wasn't really listening.  He looked over at the tree where the girl had been tied to and was surprised to see she was no longer there.  He looked around but couldn't find her.  Had she left him here alone with that maniac?  Who was she, anyway?  Harry still couldn't remember.  He couldn't remember how he even got in the forest with a lunatic.  The last thing he remembered was studying with Ron and Hermione for a Transfiguration quiz they had.  And now, all of a sudden, he was here, tied to a tree, listening to a madman ramble on about dark magic and Voldemort, his least favorite subjects.  Suddenly, as Bob kept going on about whatever he was going on about, he suddenly made a strange sound and fell to the forest floor, unconscious.  Harry watched him fall, then looked up and saw that girl with her wand pointed at him.

"He was getting on my nerves," she said and grinned.  She walked over to the tree and untied him.

"That man… He said you were Voldemort's daughter…" Harry said as his binds were loosened  
"You knew that already, Harry.  Come on, they're probably wondering where we are.  It's pretty late, you know."

"What?" Harry asked as he rubbed his wrists, finally free.  The girl smiled at him.

"Ron and Hermione will wonder what happened to us."  
"I'm wondering what happened to us!" Harry cried.  He suddenly didn't trust this girl.  Why should he trust the daughter of Lord Voldemort?

"Harry, don't play dumb.  Come on!" she tried to pull him by the arm, but Harry pulled away.

"How do I know this isn't just a trick?" he demanded.  The girl rolled her eyes.

"Please, Harry, not now!  Oh… Wait, I see what's going on… You don't remember me!"  
"Should I?"  
"Yes."  
"Well… You suck!" Harry cried.  Jasna rolled her eyes again.  
"You don't even know my name and you say I suck?"  
"You're Voldemort's daughter!  I know that you suck!"  
"That's your answer to everything!"  
"That's my answer to everything because you suck!" Jasna let out a deep sigh and shook her head.

"Well, there's only one way to fix this," she said, "Sorry Harry, this is for the best." And with that, she pushed him and he fell over backwards.

"Hey!" Harry cried, "What was that for?"  
"Remember me now?" she asked him.  Harry shook his head.  Jasna sighed and when Harry got back to his feet, she punched him in the head.

"OW!" Harry cried, rubbing his cheek.  
"How about now?"  
"I think it's coming back to me…" Jasna slapped him, "OW!  JASNA!"  
"There we go!"

Ron was looking out the window again.  Where were the two of them? 

"Oh, come off it, Ron. They're probably…"

"Probably, what, Hermione?"

"Um, never mind…" Hermione mumbled.

"No, tell me."

"Just drop it!" Ron was silent for a moment.

"Ohhhhhhhh! I get it…AH!" Ron yelled. Hermione rolled her eyes, and went back to the book she had been reading. Ron sank down in an armchair and looked into the smoldering flames.

"You know, Hermione, you…oh never mind."

"Ok."

"What?! You're supposed to ask me what I was going to say!"

"Why?"

"Because… um…er…You're supposed to! It's tradition!"

"I…see…"

"You know," Ron said. "You've been reading that book for like, five hours. What's it about anyway?"

"Oh, nothing. It's actually about this girl who was TRYING to read this book, but this git kept bothering her, so eventually, she cruelly tortured him until he died."

"Oh…"

"Yes."

"That sounds….pleasant…"

"Oh, it is."

"WHERE ARE HARRY AND JASNA!" Hermione didn't reply, seeming to be absorbed in her book again.

"Hey, let's see the title of that book then."

"Um, no. I don't think so."

"Oh come on."

"NO." Hermione hid the cover of the book, and started towards the girl's dormitory.

"Good night Ron."

"Oh, let's just see the book!" Ron leapt at Hermione, and in the short scuffle that followed, Hermione dropped the open book on the floor. She hid her face as Ron stared at the open pages.

"Hermione…Um, Hermione? WHERE did you get THAT?!"

Hermione blushed as she picked up her book.

"It's not that big a deal, Ron."

"Hermione, 'Post Mortem, Morgan Le Fey's guide What to Do After the Kill?' Oh, yes, that's not bad at all!"

"Ron, shut up."

"What are you doing reading something like that?"  
"Where are Harry and Jasna?" Hermione suddenly became very interested in the window.

"Hermione, is there something you aren't telling me?" Ron asked her.  Hermione rolled her eyes.

"It's for an ESSAY, OK Ron?" She screamed, "It's research!  And its very interesting research!"  
"Where'd you get that book?" Ron asked her.

"From the forbidden section of the library.  Professor Binns gave me a pass.  It's History of Magic, Ron!  You remember Morgan Le Fey?  The powerful witch who killed so many?  It's research on her and it just got so gruesome… At first, I thought it was barbaric and wished he'd given me another topic, but then it became so interesting!  Listen to this: If you slashed open his chest with a saber, then you will probably want to make sure the blood isn't found-"  
"Hermione!" Ron interrupted, "I don't want to hear it.  Keep it to yourself."  
"OK, I will then!" Hermione cried.  As Hermione sat down in her chair again, Ron looked towards the portrait hole.  After a few minutes, he said,

"OK, Hermione, now I'm worried." Hermione closed her book and sighed.

"Look, Ron, I told you, I'm not going to kill you or anyone else for-"  
"No, not that," Ron muttered, still watching the portrait hole, "It's nine o'clock and Harry and Jasna aren't back yet.  And I don't see them on the grounds."  
"You're right, actually," Hermione finally agreed, "They're going to get in trouble.  They aren't supposed to be out this late." Ron turned to Hermione, fully concerned.

"Do you think something could have happened to them?" But Hermione laughed.

"What on earth could have?"  
"I don't know.  But maybe something."

"They'll be back by morning, they're probably… out."

"Yeah," Ron grinned, "Out." Hermione smacked him upside the head, but had to laugh and shake her head.  As she walked back to her chair, though, she frowned.

"But…" she muttered.  Ron stopped laughing and looked at her curiously.

"But what?"  
"Well, what if Jasna… I mean, they weren't getting along… Do you think…"  
"Hermione!" Ron cried, surprised, "I thought you said you wouldn't hold anything against her!"  
"You're right," Hermione smiled, feeling foolish, "It's probably nothing."

"Harry, I don't know where we're going." Harry stopped walking. He had been following her for an hour now.

"Well, gee, thanks for telling me NOW Jasna!" 

"What? It's not my fault," Jasna said angrily. "You're the one who's been around this school and these woods before. You've been here longer than I have. You find the way out!"

"Fine then! I will!" Harry walked ahead of Jasna, hesitated upon seeing the vast woods all around him, and set off in a random direction.

"Harry. Harry? HARRY!"

"What?!" 

"We just CAME from that way!" Harry looked ahead of him. The trees looked symmetrical. He didn't know where to go.

"Well, climb a tree."

"What?"

"Climb a tree. Then maybe we'll be able to see Hogwarts."

"Oh. Ok.." Jasna set off towards a particularly large pine tree, and looked for a worthy branch.

"Oh stop. I'll do it." Harry reached up for a branch, and stepped up among the bristly twigs and needles.

"All right, I'm off." Harry began to slowly climb up. Jasna leaned up against the tree trunk, and anxiously watched Harry slipping on each branch, and slowly progressing upwards.

Harry reached as high as he could go. The branches above him were all too small to climb. He pushed aside some pine needles ("Ow!") and looked out over the Forbidden Forest. The trees swayed slightly in a night breeze, and he sighed happily at the peaceful moon and stars above him. He squinted, the image was bathed in moonlight, so he had no trouble seeing, but he couldn't see Hogwarts. He twisted around on his branch to try and see behind him, and his heart stopped as he felt his foot slip. 

"Ah!" He reached out and grabbed at the branch. He was swaying as he held on single handedly to the branch. The ground below seemed to shake and spin as he felt his fingers slowly slipping. 

"Harry?!" Jasna heard his call, and saw the branches above her shaking violently. 

"Harry? Are you ok?" Harry looked down at her, and said

"Do I SOUND ok?!"

"Ok, hold on, I'm coming." Jasna grabbed a branch, but even before she took her first step, she heard the crashing of branches, and frantic yells. Harry lay on the ground, not moving, his glasses broken. Jasna couldn't move for a while. He didn't move either. Finally, she began breathing again, and slowly got down from the branch, and crept up to his still form.

"Harry?" She questioned quietly. She poked him, and he stirred.

"Harry?" She was greeted by moans of pain, as Harry turned over to face her, and his eyes opened.

"Ugh, wha-wha…what happened?" He said groggily, holding his head. 

"You…just fell out of a tree."

"Oh, thanks for informing me! I was NOT aware of that!" Harry said angrily, and stood up crookedly. Apparently, this was not a good idea, and he fell backwards. Jasna stared down at him, and said

"Maybe you shouldn't move for a while."

"Gee, you think?"

"Look, no need to get mad at me. You're the one who fell. And it's not like I pushed you." Harry sat up, and glared disbelieving at her.

"You know, you are really unsympathetic. I bet you don't even have a heart. You-"

"Yeah, yeah, that's nice. Now did you see Hogwarts, or not?"

"You know, I didn't. I was too busy trying not to fall." Jasna yelled in frustration, and glared down at Harry.

"ARGH! You good for nothing little-"

"Stop, you'll give me even more of a headache with your ramblings." Jasna stomped off to the other side of the tree, and said to Harry.

"FINE! You stay on your side, and I'll stay on mine!"

"Shut up!"

"Oh! Is that how it's gonna be, then?! I'm not talking to you!"

"Good." Jasna slumped against the trunk, and thought evil thoughts of torture and pain.

Harry lay back down on the ground, and massaged his aching temples. He looked at his cracked glasses, and pulled out his wand. He muttered and put his fully repaired spectacles back on. He lay, looking up at the night sky.

Jasna sat alone and huddled on her side of the trees, with only her thoughts to comfort her boiling rage. Why did he make her so mad? She sighed. She knew that everything made her mad. She had to tell him something, but it was harder now that she herself had declared they were not talking. Stupid temper.

"Harry?" She said quietly. "Harry?"

"What is it?!" Harry snapped. Jasna bit her tongue to keep from retaliating with more hate-laden words. 

"I need to tell you something. It's important."

"Then say it."  Jasna took a deep breath, and blurted.

"I'm bipolar. Now how's your head doing?" She quickly faced away from him, and went back to her side of the tree.

Harry stared at the back of her head, which was bent low with the strain of letting someone know a deep secret.

"Jasna?" She would not answer. She merely sidled out of sight behind the pine.

Jasna pulled her knees up to her chin, and bit her lip. 

"Jasna?" Harry was in front of her, now. "What did you say?" 

"You heard me! How's your head?!"

"My head is fine…Now what did you say before that?"

"I said…I said…"

"Bipolar. You're bipolar…"

"Yeah. What's it to you?!" 

"Jasna, it's a very BIG deal, you know!"

"How?!"

"YOU ALWAYS DO THAT!"

"Do what?!"

"THAT!"

"O…k…"

"Yeah, now listen. It's-"

"Yeah, yeah. It's creepy, and now you're scared of me. I get it, ok? You think I haven't been told that all my life? It's bad enough, my father being who he is! But no, that's not enough punishment for Jasna! No! No, Jasna deserves to die! She does! But no, lets drag her life out on a thread, making her suffer. Let's make her LIVE! That is the ultimate torture! You wouldn't understand Harry, you wouldn't understand. The whole reason I came into being was an act of suffering! Evil is why I am…Torture is why I exist!" Jasna breathed heavily as she avoided Harry's eyes.

"Jasna, I…I… I wasn't thinking that. You think I'm as shallow and cruel as all that?!"

"Well what do you expect me to think?! All my life I've survived on glances in the hall, the mutterings of a name that I have grown to hate, and I wish, I wish, Harry…I wish that I had never been born. Truly, I do rue the day I came to be. It would be better that way, it would have been better. People are cruel, and I hate them. The only one I care for is my mother, she is why I live."

"Jasna, if you would let people into your heart, you would see how wonderful some people are, and then you would rejoice on the day you were born."

"If I let them in, they'll only hurt me more when they're gone!"

"We all have that possibility! But Jasna, haven't you ever heard 'It is better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all'? You're no exception! You need to TRY!"

"Why should I? No one ever tried with me! Not even my own father."

"Well that doesn't mean you just sit there and pout about it! Make an effort!"

"You…really…SUCK! You push and pry and WON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!" 

"You are such a git sometimes." Harry said, and grinned. Jasna controlled her anger.

"Git? You are so English!"

"What'd you think I was? Russian?" Jasna didn't answer.  Harry sighed and shook his head, sadly, "I was wrong about you."  
"Wrong?" she asked, "Wrong?  How were you wrong about me?"

"I thought you were brave," he said, "I thought you were resourceful.  I thought you were faithful, I thought you were kind, I thought you were truly a great person.  But most of all, I thought you were smart."  
"Are you calling me stupid?"  
"Yes, I am calling you stupid.  To refuse to at least try to understand the concept of love." Jasna laughed.

"You're telling me about love?" she cried, "You?  What do you know about love?"  
"A lot more than you, I can tell you that!"  
"You don't even have parents for crying out loud!"  
"And your father is the most-hated being alive!"

There was silence as the young witch and wizard stared at each other.  Finally, Jasna turned away.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.  Harry looked up at the entanglement of leaves and branches above him, "I really am.  It's my… instability.  I didn't mean to insult you.  Harry, please," Harry sighed and also turned away from her, "Harry, you're the closest thing I ever had to a real friend.  I'm so sorry, Harry, please!" she begged.

"Jasna… I just can't do this.  One minute, we're friends.  Then we yell at each other.  Then, you're there, apologizing.  Do you know how hard it is to understand someone like you?"

"Harry, please, don't do this…" Jasna pleaded, tears in her eyes.

"We should find Hogwarts…"  
"You're mad at me."  
"Well what do you expect?" Harry snapped, angrily.

"Don't be mad at me."  
"And why not?"

"I can't handle you mad at me right now.  Please, don't be mad at me!"

"Too late!"  
"Fine!" Jasna cried, loosing her temper herself, "Just… FINE!  You can find your own way back to Hogwarts!"  
"That's fine by me!"  
"Well good!" and with that, they both set off in separate directions.


	6. Star Light, Star Bright

Chapter Six: Star Light, Star Bright 

Ron lay in his bed, still worried.  Where was Harry?  He hadn't come back yet.  Something was bound to be wrong.  He realized it was one o'clock.  He looked over at Harry's four poster bed to find it still neat and made… and no Harry.  Where was he?  Could something have actually happened to him?  He suddenly sat up in his bed so fast it made him feel dizzy.  He hoped what he thought wasn't true.  Could he have been… Captured?  By You-Know-Who?  If it were anyone else, Ron would have laughed at the thought.  But this was Harry Potter.  And Harry Potter was different.  

Ron stood and found the old piece of parchment inside a book on Harry's end table.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he muttered.  The Marauder's Map showed itself to Ron.  He didn't see Harry or Jasna's name on the map.  He decided it was time to tell Professor McGonagall that Harry and Jasna were missing.

Jasna wandered around aimlessly.  She'd been walking around for hours.  She had no clue where she was going.  Every single tree looked identical, like tall, menacing figures looming over her.  She was scared.  She shouldn't have left Harry.  They were better off together than they were apart.  What if one of them found their way back and the other didn't?  What would happen then?  She was so worried, not only about herself, but about Harry as well.  What was going to happen to them?

"Harry, I'm so sorry!" Jasna screamed into the dark night sky, "I'm so sorry!  I shouldn't have left you!  I hope you get back OK…" Jasna decided she'd look for Harry as well as for Hogwarts.

"Where is he?" McGonagall demanded of Ron.  Ron shrugged.

"He never came back after he went looking for Jasna."  
"Is Jasna here?"  
"I don't think so." McGonagall looked around the common room, nervously.

"Are you sure he's not here?"  
"Professor, with all due respect, I sleep in the same room as him." Ron said as politely as he could.  
"Right. Well," she sighed. "I'll go get Professor Dumbledore." And with that, she climbed out of the portrait hole, and disappeared out of Ron's sight.

"Well, I guess that's that, then."

"Poppy seed."

The gargoyle sprang to life, and soon Professor McGonagall was knocking timidly on the door to Dumbledore's office.

"Come in." A faint voice came from inside. McGonagall entered, and looked around the interesting room. Fawkes was in a beautiful stage, the phoenix's plumage was to its fullest and dazzling. The scruffy Sorting Hat, old and patched, was set on an end table beneath several paintings of old headmasters, many of whom were still awake despite the late hour. They blinked and watched as McGonagall approached the form slumped over his desk in exhaustion. They observed as she gave him a small tap on his shoulder, and he rose slowly.

"May I help you, Professor McGonagall?" He found his hat, and placed it on his aged head.

"Um, I am here concerning a few students from the Gryffindor House, sir."

"Of course…" Dumbledore sighed and sat down. He massaged his temples.  McGonagall bit her lip.

"We have two missing students."  
"Two this time is it?" Dumbledore said, "Who?"  
"Harry Potter and Jasna Larden," McGonagall answered.  Dumbledore sighed, fatigued.

"Not again…"

Harry was tired.  It was five in the morning and here he was, in the Forbidden Forest, walking around aimlessly with no idea what to do next.

"This is just perfect!" he cried, kicking a rock.  He trudged on angry, annoyed, and extremely frustrated.  He came to a clearing and could finally see the sky above him.  As he kicked another rock, he didn't realize his foot got caught in a vine.  He continued on his quest for Hogwarts, for home.  He looked at the stars.  Hours ago, they had looked so peaceful as he laid in the water with Jasna, staring up at them.  Now, they seemed to mock him as they watched him toil to find his school.  They were high, safe and secure in their firmament.  They needn't worry about finding anything.  They could see everything from their position.  They were probably staring at Hogwarts right at that moment and laughing at Harry because he had no idea where it was.  He spat at them, angrily.  
"Stupid stars," he muttered.  He looked at the ground, "Stupid dirt," he added, "Stupid vi- wait, vine?" He shrugged it off and tried to shake the vine from his leg and continue.  He didn't realize (or if he did, he didn't care) that he hadn't succeeded in shaking off the vine.  He was looking at the stars again, so didn't notice there was a large hole ahead of him.  As he stepped into it, he screamed.  As he fell forward into the hole, the vine around his ankle stopped him from falling to the ground as it was attached to an old tree stump.  Harry hit his head against the side of the hole, hanging from his ankle upside down.

"Great!" he sighed, sarcastically, pushing his glasses back on with a frown.  He took out his wand from his robes and pointed it at the vine in severe annoyance.  Red sparks jetted out the end of the wand, severing him from the vine.  It wasn't until he started falling to the floor of the hole did he realize that cutting himself free from the vine wasn't the best idea.

"Where would he be, Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore asked Ron.  
"I told him Jasna was out on the grounds, near Hagrid's."  
"Do you suppose he is with Hagrid?" McGonagall asked.

"I don't think he would be, Professor.  Not this late, anyway."  
"What's going on?" Hermione yawned as she entered the common.  She stopped, dead in her tracks as she saw McGonagall, Dumbledore and Ron standing there talking.

"This is about Harry, isn't it?" she asked.  
"Do you know anything?" Dumbledore asked her, kindly.  Hermione shook her head.

"Ron was worried earlier that he hadn't come back yet, that's all.  Harry had just had a very heated fight with Jasna and went to look for her to apologize."

"Jasna?" McGonagall raised an eyebrow and glanced at Dumbledore.  Dumbledore just shook his head.

"I assure you, Professor, Jasna is not dangerous!" he said, "And that is the last time I will tell anyone that!"

"Excuse me, sir," Hermione whispered, "But why would she be dangerous?" McGonagall glanced at Dumbledore again, who sighed.

"That's just it, Miss Granger, she's not dangerous.  I will say no more on the matter."

"What do you suggest we do, Professor?" Ron asked.  Dumbledore looked at McGonagall, who seemed skeptical, but concerned none the less.  He then looked at Ron and Hermione, Harry Potter's best friends, and their worried looks and sighed again.

"I suppose we'll have to conduct a search of the grounds.  We have to wait a full twenty-four hours before we can file a missing wizard's report."

Harry opened his eyes to see the stars again.  Those stupid, annoying stars.  He let out a small growl as he tried to get up.  He yelped in pain when he realized he couldn't move his leg.  Swearing under his breath, he also realized his glasses were broken again.  
"At least that's something I know how to repair," he muttered, fixing them for the second time that evening with a wave of his wand.  He lay back down on his back and stared at the stars again.  He let out a deep sigh.

"I guess they aren't so bad," he said to himself, watching them above him.  He frowned as he got an idea, "I am SO stupid!" he cried to himself before he screamed, at the top of his lungs "JASNA!  HELP!"

That was the second scream Jasna heard, and this time, it was definitely Harry.

"Harry?" she called, timidly.  Was he alright?  Was he captured again?  Was Bob awake?  The insane Death Eater?  Was Harry being tortured?  Jasna didn't want to think about it.  She bit her lip.  Time was passing and she didn't know if she was coming any closer to Hogwarts.

"Jasna stormed out on me," Hagrid told the four of them in his hut, "I told 'er I was sorry, but she didn' seem ta care."

"And that's the last you saw of her?"  
"I think I saw her arguin' with 'Arry, by the lake," Hagrid answered.  McGonagall had that look again and Hagrid noticed, "She ain't bad, Professor!  Really, she may 'ave a short temper, but she's a sweet lass." McGonagall was not satisfied with Hargrid's words and her eyes expressed it.

"Professor Dumbledore, I really think that, for the safety of the students, and for Jasna's own safety, we should send her to a school in America."  
"That didn't stop him at finding her before, Minerva," Dumbledore pointed out, "He'll find her one way or the other, just like he found her before.  And I don't want her changing schools again." Hermione and Ron watched the argument in silence.  It seemed the teachers had forgotten their presence, at least Ron and Hermione hoped they had.

"I think she's comfortable 'ere," Hagrid said, "She seems to 'ave made friends easily."  
"Did it ever occur to either of you that she's not as innocent as she seems?"  
"Professor McGonagall, you have never questioned my authority before."  
"You're right, Dumbledore, I haven't.  And this is probably the only time I ever will.  Letting that girl in- the daughter of-"  
"Minerva," Dumbledore interrupted, eyeing Ron and Hermione, "We will discuss this later."  
Ron and Hermione could barely hide their disappointment.

Jasna wandered in the woods.  It was six o'clock now.  She kept stumbling and falling and she still hadn't found Hogwarts… Or Harry.  Her wand light was all she had to go by.  It passed over leaves and tree roots.  She marched onward, determination flaring in her eyes.  She knew she'd get there eventually.

  
At six thirty, Harry thought of another thing that might bring help other than screaming.  He took his wand, pointed it upwards, and sent out a jet of red sparks high into the air.

"I don't know what good it'll do," he said to himself, "It's not like anyone would be looking except Jasna."

With the help of Hagrid, Ron and Hermione (and some very bothered and tired Professors), Dumbledore and McGonagall searched the grounds four three hours.  Finally, at eight o'clock, Professor Snape looked up at the forest and saw a figure leaving it, tired, her robes torn and still damp, her raven hair a mess.  She looked up, sighed with relief and fell to the ground.  Snape called out to the others and walked swiftly over to Jasna, panting on the ground, still damp from when she fell into the lake.  Snape kneeled down next to her.

"Are you OK?" he asked her.  She nodded, breathless, "Where's Potter?"  
"In the woods," she gasped, and nodded back at the forest, "We… got in a… fight and we… got separated." She hadn't realized how tired she was.  Snape frowned.

"Why are you wet?" he asked.  
"We fell in the lake."  
"What?"  
"Actually, that's not entirely true, we pushed each other into the lake."

"What?!" Snape cried.  The other teachers soon joined them.

"Where've you been?" demanded Professor McGonagall, "You've had us worried sick!"  
"It wasn't our fault, Professor," Jasna said, "When we were in the lake-"  
"When were you in the lake?" Flitwick asked.

"Let me finish," Jasna muttered, "We were fighting about who- well, it doesn't matter, but we were fighting and then there was pushing and we fell into the lake.  Then we started laughing about it.  When we were floating in the lake, someone came and took us and it was a mad Death Eater called Bob.  He had us unconscious, see, and we were in the middle of the woods.  And when Harry woke up, Bob was boring him telling him how much Bob would be honored when Lord Voldemort found out he had not only Harry Potter, but-" that was the only time in the story where Jasna paused.  She realized that Ron and Hermione were also there.

"But what?" Ron asked.

"But he had two people important for Voldemort.  That's when I cursed him and he fell unconscious.  Harry forgot who I was because of the potion Bob gave him so I had to hit him a few times before he remembered.  And then we really got lost so Harry climbed a tree to find out where we were and then he fell and broke his glasses.  Then I told him-" she paused again, "… I told him I was bipolar," she muttered, looking at her knees.  She then continued, "Anyway, when he found that out we got into this deep intellectual conversation- actually, it was more of a debate… OK, so it was a deep intellectual, full-blown fight, but we got into this deep intellectual fight about love, or something, and then I think I really blew it when I insulted him really hard and he insulted me in much the same way.  That's when we decided we'd find our way back on our own.  And now, I don't know where he is." There was a long silence as all the teachers stared at her.  Jasna looked around at the faces and saw most of them were disbelieving.  Dumbledore seemed impassive.  Jasna frowned.  
"What?" she asked, "What is it?"  
"Why don't you get along with Harry Potter?" one of the teachers asked.  Jasna looked around for a speaker, but just as she was about to reply, one said,

"How do we know you're telling the truth?" again, Jasna opened her mouth to say something and was interrupted.

"How do we know you're not lying?  How do we know you're trust worthy?" Jasna was becoming angry.  How dare they not believe her?!

"I'm NOT LYING!  I have no REASON to lie!  Why would I lie?" she demanded.  But there was muttering among the teachers.  Ron and Hermione watched her, warily.  She looked around desperately for a kind face.

"Look!" she cried, halting the muttering, "Harry's still in there!  I don't know what happened to him!  I heard him call out but I couldn't find him!  We have to look for him.  When you find him, he'll tell you the truth!"

"How do we know you didn't turn him in?  How do we know you didn't give him up to your father?" that was the last straw.  Jasna stood up and pointed her wand at the small crowd.

"Don't you even MENTION him!" she cried, "I don't even want to think about him right now!  Leave him OUT of this!  I would never betray Harry like that!"  
"You're the child of a wicked man!" someone cried.  Jasna looked around in despair, her eyes brimming with tears.  She looked at Dumbledore.  Why hadn't he stopped these accusations?  Why hadn't he stood up for her?

"You believe me, don't you Professor?" she asked.  Dumbledore took a deep breath as if to say something, but sighed.

"If I do believe you, do you think it makes the slightest bit of difference to these people?" Dumbledore asked.  Jasna was agape.  Dumbledore had abandoned her.  She couldn't believe it.  She took a deep shuttering breath and ran off towards Hogwarts, plainly visible in the sunrise.  Dumbledore watched after her with Ron and Hermione.

"Go after her," he whispered, "She needs condolence." Ron nodded and ran after the girl.


	7. Stranger Things Have Happened

Chapter Seven: Stranger Things Have Happened

"What are we going to do now?" McGonagall asked Dumbledore, who was still watching Jasna and Ron.  He turned.

"We should search the forest.  That's where Jasna came from and that's where she says he is."  
"What if she's lying?"  
"I have a gut feeling, Minerva, that Jasna was telling the truth." And with that, he ordered the teachers to search the forest.  He looked down at Hermione.

"Go have some breakfast," he told her, "We'll tell you when we find him."  
"If you find him."  
"We'll find him," Dumbledore promised, "And he will be OK."  
"Professor?" Hermione asked as Dumbledore headed towards the forest himself.

"Yes?"  
"Why doesn't anyone believe Jasna?  Who's her father?"  
"Her father is a truly horrible man.  He is despicable and disgusting and Jasna despises every fiber in his body.  You needn't be afraid of her, Hermione.  She wouldn't lie to me."

"But who is her-" but Hermione stopped and shook her head, "No!" she cried in disbelief, "He never had a child!" but all Dumbledore could do was nod sadly.

"Now if you'll excuse me, Miss Granger, I must find Harry," he said and continued on into the forest. 

Jasna ran up the steps to Hogwarts and tripped and scraped her knee on the step.  She didn't bother getting up, she just sat there and cried, not even noticing her knee.  Ron ran up to her.

"Hey, Jasna, don't worry," he tried to sooth her, "I believe you."

"NO YOU DON'T!" Jasna screamed through her tears, hiding her face.

"Hey, don't yell at me, I really do believe you.  And I think Dumbledore does too."  
"No he doesn't!  Everyone thinks I'm a liar!"  
"No they don't-"  
"JUST SHUT UP RON AND GO TO HELL!" Jasna screamed to his face.

"Jasna, I'm only trying to help," Ron said as he sat down next to her on the steps.

"NO ONE WANTS TO HELP ME!  They just want to yell at me because they hate my dad, therefore, I must be an awful, lying, torturing scumbag too." There was silence.  Finally, Ron asked, tentatively,

"Jasna, who's your dad?" there was another silence as Jasna stopped crying.  She looked up at Ron with red-rimmed eyes.

"Dear Ron, haven't you figured it out by now?  Voldemort, my poor, naive Ron, Lord Fucking VOLDEMORT!" she screamed.  Ron was wide-eyed and taken aback.

"Wow…" he muttered.

"I'd NEVER HURT Harry if my life depended on it.  I promised him, I said I'd go through hell and back again before I betrayed him!" Jasna sobbed, "Don't you get it Ron?" she asked as she looked at him with those bright green, imploring eyes, "I… I… I think I love him…" There was another silence and Ron blinked.

"I'm sorry, but can we back up a minute here?  You're dad's You-Know-Who?  I'm sorry, I was in a daze after that and didn't catch the rest." Jasna rolled her eyes and took Ron by the shoulders, "OK, OK, you have my attention, I'm listening!"

"I LOVE HIM, RON!  I LOVE HARRY POTTER!" She screamed.

"OK, now, I think I heard that."  
"You better have heard it that time because I'm not repeating it." Jasna crossed her arms.

"Wow… One question though."  
"Yes?"  
"You're dad's You-Know-Who?" Jasna had to smile, in spite of the situation.  She nodded.

"Yes, Ron," she said, "And I know you'll probably hate me now and think I'm evil, but frankly, I don't give a damn any more.  My whole life I've tried so hard to hide the fact that my father caused so much suffering.  I tried to prove to my mother that I wasn't an accident, I tried to make her proud.  I tried to console her every night, hating my father even more for what he did to her.  I tried to show her that what he gave her wasn't as horrible as people thought."  
"And what did he do to her?  What did he give her?" Ron asked, sincerely.  Jasna's eyes glazed over with hatred and disgust.

"He caught her walking home in London one night," she whispered, "She screamed, but no one heard her cries, or if they did, they were too terrified or stupid to do anything.  Don't you see, Ron?  He gave her Jasna.  Her gave her ME!  Conceived in sin and born in shame, I was the terrible gift he gave my mother."

Harry watched the sun rise and the stars disappear.

"You don't mean to tell me I've been out here all NIGHT!" he screamed and rolled his eyes, "Someone's bound to have realized we're missing by now.  I wonder how Jasna's doing…" Harry yawned and realized he was still very tired.  He was also famished, but there was nothing he could do about that.  He closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Dumbledore directed two teachers in each direction.  He and Professor McGonagall headed north.

"Do you really expect we'll find him, Albus?" McGonagall asked.

"I do indeed, Minerva."  
"Alive?" Dumbledore said nothing.  McGonagall nodded, "I thought so too."

Hermione stopped as she saw Ron comforting Jasna on the steps.  Jasna's face was in her hands but Ron watched Hermione.  Neither one said a word, both their faces were blank.  Hermione was about to ask Ron a question but Ron stopped her when he nodded.  
"I know," he told her.  Hermione looked at her feet.  Ron was suddenly angry and he stood up, making Jasna look up.  Jasna finally noticed Hermione's presence.

"I cannot believe you, Hermione!" he cried, knowing very well why she just stood there when she saw Ron and Jasna.  She knew.  Ron knew.  Everyone knew.

"What are you talking about?" Hermione demanded.

"You still hate her, don't you?"

"I do NOT hate her, Ron!" and then she turned to Jasna and shook her head, "I don't hate you!" Jasna was silent as she just stared at Hermione with a slightly open mouth.

"Yes, you do!  Inside, you hate her.  You are trying though, you're trying not to hate her.  I can tell.  Hermione, she's a good person!  She truly is!"

"I know.  She's not dangerous," Hermione repeated what Dumbledore told her, "There's on reason to be afraid of her.  And I don't hate her, Ron.  I may dislike her a bit- sorry, Jasna, but… But I don't HATE the poor girl!" now was when Jasna began to cry again.  Hermione's heart melted and she ran to her, "Oh Jasna!  I don't hate you I DON'T!" she cried.

"But you admitted you don't like her." Ron said, expressionlessly.  
"I don't think that's true anymore," Hermione muttered as she saw the weeping heap before her, "I can't dislike her.  Look at her.  I'm so sorry, Jasna!  Can you forgive me?" Jasna looked up and into Hermione's eyes and nodded.  Hermione gave a weak smile.

"Come on.  I bet you're both as hungry as I am.  Let's get some breakfast," the other two agreed and Ron and Hermione helped Jasna to her feet.

The green light was blinding as the woman with the ginger hair screamed.  She deflected it with her own wand.  
"Very good, Mia," the man grinned a contorted grin that spread over his stretched, white face.

"Leave me and my daughter alone for once, you monster!" the woman screamed.  Her green eyes burned with fury, "How dare you come here!"  
"You were the one who stayed in London, you foolish woman!" the man laughed, "You were safer in Boston."

"You will never find Jasna, you know.  Never."  
"I already know where she is, Mia.  I don't need you."  
"Then why are you here?"  
"To destroy you.  I don't need you anymore and neither does Jasna."  
"Jasna means the world to me!  I am EVERYTHING to that child!  She hates you!  You terrify her!"  
"Name one person who doesn't hate me, or at least name one that isn't afraid of me!" the man laughed.

"Albus Dumbledore!" Mia cried.

"Dumbledore hates me.  That doesn't count."

"Harry Potter!"  
"He hates me too," the man yawned and put a bony hand to his mouth, "I grow tired of this.  Avada Kedavera!"  
"NO!" the woman cried.  Her green eyes spilt one last tear as she fell to the floor, dead.

And then, Harry was awoken by the burning pain in his scar.  That dream… There was something about Jasna.  Something about Voldemort.  Jasna hated her father.  Jasna and Voldemort in the same context definitely meant something was wrong.  Had Jasna turned to the dark side?  Was Harry the one who drove her to it?

"No," he muttered as he shook his head.  They had spoken about Jasna.  Who were they?  He remembered Voldemort and he remembered he had been talking to someone…

It had been a woman.

It had been a woman with Jasna's eyes.

It had been Jasna's mother.

Harry sat up again.  Voldemort had killed Jasna's mother.  Mia Larden was dead.  His head began to spin and the pain in his scar was blinding.  Jasna's mother was dead.  He didn't know what he would tell her.  She loved her mother so much.  She was the only person Jasna loved in the world.  Jasna had said her mother was the only reason she lived.  Harry couldn't tell her.  It would drive her insane.  But she'd find out sooner or later.

He heard calls above him and jolted out of his stupor.

"HELP!" he screamed, hoping someone would hear him.  There was silence.

"HARRY?" came the voice of Professor McGonagall.

"IN HERE!" Harry called, "IN THE…um, hole…" he realized how stupid he had been to fall in it.  With his good leg, he kicked the dirt.  He looked up again and saw Dumbledore and McGonagall up there.  He suddenly felt quite small and foolish.

"Hi?" he said with a large grin.  Dumbledore and McGonagall lifted him out.

"I'm afraid we can't wait for Madam Pomfrey," Dumbledore said, "I'll mend your leg." 

Ron and Hermione helped Jasna into the Entrance Hall.  Hermione noticed Jasna's damp, torn robes.  
"Maybe you'd want to change first?" she offered.  But Jasna shook her head.  
"I'm starving," she told Hermione, "I can change later." Hermione shrugged.  As they entered the Great Hall, a couple students glanced at Jasna, but that was all.  Jasna sat down and ate as much as she could.  Finally she leaned back in her chair and sighed, the ghost of a smile appearing on her face.  Ron and Hermione smile to see she is happy.  As happy as she'd get, anyway.  But she straightened up as Dumbledore and McGonagall entered the room and in between them was a young wizard.  The boy had a mop of damp jet-black hair and emerald eyes framed with black-rimmed glasses.

"Harry!" Jasna cried as she stood up from the table.  Ron and Hermione stood up too, happy to see their friend unharmed.  Harry's face was grim as he approached Jasna.  
"Jasna," he whispered to her, "There's… Well, there's something I have to tell you…"  
"There's something I have to tell you too!" Jasna cried, excitedly, not seeing the graveness in his expression.  Jasna glanced at Ron, who gave her a weak smile and a nod.

"You'll probably want to sit down for what I'm about to say," he told her gently, "And you might want to be alone." Jasna nodded and Harry led her out of the Great Hall, past Dumbledore and McGonagall, who watched them leave.

Harry refused to tell Jasna his news until they were in the Gryffindor common room, where she could sit down in a chair by the fire.  Therefore, Jasna was forced to go first.  She couldn't look him in the eye.

"Harry…" she muttered.  Harry gave a grunt to show her he was listening.  He was only half-listening though.  He kept thinking about his dream and about what he had to tell her.  He was going to break her heart.

"Harry, there's something I have to tell you…"  
"Go on," Harry muttered, quickening his pace.

"I know you hate me," Jasna said, "I know we fight all the time.  I know you see me as Jasna, the bipolar daughter of Lord Voldemort.  But this needs to be said…" Harry said nothing as she paused.  He was looking straight ahead of him.  He couldn't look at Jasna.

"Harry, stop walking!" Jasna demanded, doing so herself.  Harry turned to her, confused and concerned.  He was still lost in his thoughts, though.

"I need to say this to your face," Jasna said, "It's important." Harry nodded, "I… In the woods, I had a lot of time to think.  I'm sure you did too.  Well, what I'm trying to say is, Harry I love you."

Harry was thinking about the woman in his dream.  She had appeared so young.  How old had she been when Jasna was born?  Wait, Harry heard Jasna say love.  She said it in a warm way.  Jasna never said that word, at least not in that way.  
"What?" Harry asked, bringing his head out of the clouds.  Jasna sighed.

"I knew it!" she cried, "I knew it!  I knew you'd make some joke about this!"  
"Jasna, I'm not making a joke.  I was… I'm sorry, but I was thinking about something.  I should have been paying more attention.  Honestly, what did you say?" Jasna glanced around the room.  She couldn't meet Harry's eyes.

"I love you, Harry," she whispered.  Harry wanted to gape, though he was sure she'd be offended.  It was his fault.  He had told her to open her heart.  And now, she was opening her heart to him.  Him, of all people, Jasna chose Harry Potter.  Harry sighed and looked at his feet.

"Well?" He had obviously been silent for too long, "Did you miss what I said again?"  Harry shook his head, eyes still on his feet.  He was wearing very interesting shoes.  He saw how muddy they were.  He should do something about that…

"You don't feel the same way," Jasna whispered, "I know.  I understand.  Who could love the deceitful, bipolar daughter of a villain who has tortured so many?" Harry still said nothing.  What she said was insane!  She was not deceitful at all!  As to bipolar, there was no doubt about that, but what's wrong with that?  And as for who could love her… Harry's head jolted up as he realized something.

Harry looked at Jasna, his eyes searching hers, emeralds meeting emeralds in a locked gaze.  He recalled once hearing that the eyes were the windows to the soul.  And hers was a tortured one, with a hard, rough past, reaching out for help, struggling to find love, hope, and warmth.  Things she had only experienced with one other person, and one other person alone.  And Harry knew that the one other person was dead.  Jasna's eyes were imploring and searching for compassion.  Compassion, which, Harry was almost certain he was able to give.

"Jasna…" He muttered, shaking his head with a slight smile, "Jasna…"  
"What?" Jasna asked.  Harry shook his head harder and the smile spread across his face.  Finally, he looked at her.

"Jasna… I love you too," he finally admitted, to Jasna and to himself.  Jasna smiled.

"Really?"

"Would I lie?"  
"Well…"  
"No, was the right answer," Harry interrupted, taking her hand.

"What's she telling him, then, Ron?" Hermione asked him at the table.  Ron had been grinning.

"I don't know," he said in such away that made it sound as if he weren't telling the truth.

"Yes, you do.  You nodded at her when she told him she had to tell him something."  
"It's none of your business, Hermione, keep your nose to yourself."


	8. Only You Can Dry These Tears

Chapter Eight: Only You Can Dry These Tears

Harry and Jasna walked hand in hand to the common room.  Jasna was in high spirits.  Nothing could bring her down now.  Harry knew, though, that something was about to.

As they entered the common room, Harry told Jasna to sit down in a chair.

"Harry, this must be very serious," she said, "You've been preoccupied ever since you got back from the Forbidden Forest." Harry nodded.

"It's more than serious," he told her, "What was your mum's name?"  
"Mia.  Mia Larden."

"I was afraid of that," Harry muttered.

"What is it, Harry?" Jasna asked, worried, "Is it about my mom?"  
"Yes, actually," Harry told her, "Sadly, it is about your mom."  
"Oh God… What's happened to her?" Jasna asked.

"Jasna… She's dead." Jasna shook her head.  She hadn't heard correctly.  Her mom wasn't dead!  How could her mom be dead?  Her mom was alive and well and fine and her mom was doing just fine.

"No," Jasna said aloud, "No, she's not dead." Jasna was resolute.  Harry sadly shook his head.  Jasna's eyes began fill with tears again.  
"No!" she cried, standing up, "NO!  I WON'T BELIEVE IT! NO!"

"Jasna…"  
"How do you know?" Jasna demanded of Harry, "How do you know she's dead?"  
"I know, Jasna, believe me."  
"How come you know and I don't?"  
"Jasna, that's not an easy question to answer…"  
"How did she die?" Jasna begged Harry to tell her, "How?"  
"The killing curse," Harry muttered.  Jasna buried her face in her hands.  She was crying so hard.  Harry walked over to her and she collapsed in his arms.  She cried on his shoulder as he held her in his arms.

"So there I was, minding my own business, when Snape comes up to me and…" Ron trailed off as he and Hermione saw Harry and Jasna in the middle of the common room.

"Right!" Hermione cried, "I'm going to go in my room and finish my book!"

"And I'm tired.  I haven't slept all night!  G'night, Harry," Ron said and they both hurried off towards their dormitories.

Harry watched them go, Jasna breaking down in his arms.  She took his damp robes in her hands and clenched them into fists.

"Why?" she sobbed, "Why?  Why my mother?" Harry was only glad she didn't ask who.  It would have torn her apart if she'd known Voldemort had killed her mother.  Her own father had killed her mother.  It was then that he truly understood what it was like to be Jasna Larden.  It was then that he realized the pain and suffering she had endured in her short lifetime.  It was then that he realized exactly how much he admired her.

"I can never beat your bravery, Jasna," he whispered into her hair, "You are the bravest person I know.  Find some of that bravery now.  Be brave, Jasna.  I'm here, I will always be here for you." He kept whispering that to her, over and over, stroking her hair, calming her, soothing her.  Jasna fell to the floor and Harry went with her.

After what seemed like hours of crying and consoling, Jasna's head rested on Harry's lap, staring at the flames.  He was stroking her hair, kindly and compassionately.  Her face was tearstained but most of them had dried up.

Hermione, hearing no crying from the common room, cautiously climbed down the stairs and saw the couple, sitting in silence in front of the fire.  She smiled, weakly.  She didn't know what Jasna had been crying about, but whatever it was, Harry had calmed her down.  She silently went back upstairs, not wanting to disturb them.

"How did you know, Harry?" Hermione stopped dead in her tracks as she heard Jasna ask Harry a question.  She couldn't help her curiosity.

"I can't tell you."  
"Why not?"

"If I tell you that, I'd have to tell you something else and you won't like it."  
"It's OK, I'll be fine."  
"No."

"Harry, stop trying to protect me," Jasna's voice was calm and didn't shake as it had a few minutes ago, "Tell me.  How did you know my mother was dead?  You didn't see it, did you?" Hermione gasped, but was lucky because neither Harry nor Jasna heard her.

"I heard someone mutter about an American witch being found dead in a flat in the center of London."

"Heard someone?" Jasna rose her head off of his lap to look at him, "You were in the middle of the forest!"  
"Exactly."

"Harry!" Jasna cried, "Tell me the truth!"  
"Jasna, don't worry about it.  Calm down."  
"If you won't answer that question, I have another," Jasna said, putting her head back down on Harry's lap.  
"And what's that?"  
"You said my mother was killed by the Avada Kedavera killing curse."  
"Did I?"  
"Yes.  I won't even ask how you knew that if you heard someone talking about it, but what I will ask is this.  Do you know who did it?"  
"No," Harry lied.  She looked up at him.

"Really?"  
"I heard that an American witch called Mia was found dead.  Something about the killing curse.  I don't think even they knew who did it."  
"Who did you hear it from?"  
"I don't know.  One of the teachers I think." There was silence again.  Hermione sat down on the spiral staircase, dumbstruck.  So, Jasna's mother was dead and Harry had found out.  Hermione shook her head sadly.  The poor girl.  Finally, Jasna stood up.  Harry looked up at her from his seat on the ground.  She extended her hand to help him up and pulled him into a hug.  They stood there for a minute, gazing at each other with a smile.  
"My mother may not be here anymore," Jasna whispered, "But at least I have you."  
"You will always have me."  
"And you will always have me." Unknown to them, Hermione silently witnessed their first kiss.

"That must have been what Jasna wanted to tell Harry," Hermione muttered.  As the couple shared a warm embrace by the fire, they were interrupted as two more people climbed through the portrait hole.  They broke apart immediately.

"Oi!" Fred called, munching on a cake of some sort, "What are you two up to, then?" Harry glowered at them.  
"Great timing, you two, perfect!" he cried.  Fred and George grinned.

"Why, I do think our little Harry and Jasna are in love, don't you Fred?" George said, mockingly.

"You know, I think you're right!" Fred replied.  Hermione chose this moment to climb down the stairs and save them.

"You might want to get some sleep you two, after being out all night."  
"Out all night, were they?" Fred asked Hermione.  Hermione bit her lip as Harry and Jasna gratefully accepted the excuse to leave.

"What were they doing, out alone all night?" George frowned.

"It's none of your business!" Hermione cried.

"None of our business indeed!" Fred laughed, "We're supposed to watch out for the youngsters, aren't we, George?"

"We can't have them missing in the middle of the night!" George nodded.  
"Who knows what they might do?" Fred added.  Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Right, what do you want?" she asked.

"It's our common room too.  We can come in, can't we?"  
"Be my guest, but don't ask me any more questions because I'm not answering!" Hermione said as she walked back up to her own dormitory.  
"What do you think has gotten into them?  We were only having a bit of fun!" George turned to his twin.

"They're just being stupid prats, that's all." Fred sat down in a chair by the fire and finished his cake.


	9. The Midnight Dance

Chapter Nine: The Midnight Dance

"Who's the letter from, Harry?" Ron asked as Harry read a dirty piece of parchment.

"Si- I mean, Snuffles," he said, looking around.  Ron and Hermione leaned in close to see what the letter read.  Jasna was sleeping in that Saturday.

"What's it say, then?" Hermione said with a grin.  Harry had been keeping in contact with Sirius all year.  This letter had been expected.  Harry had written him a long and detailed letter a few weeks ago explaining about Jasna and Harry's relationship with her.  The three were anxious to hear his opinion.  Harry read them the letter in a whisper.

"Harry, I heard Jasna Larden would be coming to Hogwarts.  Professor Grant at St. Laurel's Academy of Witchcraft feared she would turn out like her father.  Your description of her is pleasant and she sounds like a very nice girl.  I have no doubt you trust her.  But you must understand I do have my suspicions.  I'm not saying I don't trust her.  You trust her, and that is good enough for me.  It's just, Voldemort would do anything to get to you and I know he would even sacrifice his own daughter if necessary.  Both of you need to watch out." Harry folded the letter.  Ron and Hermione frowned.

"It looked longer than that," Ron said, suspiciously.  Harry grinned.

"Oh, it was," he told them, mischievously.

"Well, why won't you share?" Hermione asked.

"Don't take it personally, Hermione," Harry said, "It's something that's staying strictly between me and Sirius." His grin was so wide, his friends swore it spread to his ears.

That evening, Harry went through the letter on his own.

            As your godfather, I would like to show my godson a good time.  If you don't mind that is.  If you and Jasna would walk by the lake at around eleven o'clock tonight, you will find a gift from me to you.  I still have some romance and mischief left in me, you know.  I hope you two like it.

                        _Sirius_

"Harry, what are you doing?" Harry jumped and crumpled the paper in his hand.

"Hello, Jasna!" he grinned.  She looked at him skeptically.

"Why did you ask that I dress up?" she asked him, noticing he was in his own dress robes.

"You look great," was his answer as he admired her violate gown.  He hair was up on top of her head, giving her a formal look.  Jasna was still suspicious.

"Where are we going?" she asked, "It's ten thirty!"

"I know," Harry grinned, offering his arm.

"We aren't supposed to…"  
"Oh, come on, Jasna!  It's a Saturday night!" Harry protested.  Jasna smiled.

"I guess you're right," she sighed, taking his offered arm.  Harry winked at her as he tossed the invisibility cloak over the two of them.  As they left the common room, Jasna nearly tripped as she got her foot stuck.  As Harry helped her, she fell into his arms and they both started laughing, but immediately stopped, afraid someone would hear.  Jasna could hardly keep from giggling.  They finally reached the large oak doors and when they were outside, Jasna burst out laughing.  Harry tried to quiet her, but it was difficult, especially since he was laughing himself.  Sneaking around school had never been half as hysterical as it was at that moment.

"Where to now, Harry?" Jasna asked.  Harry looked over to the lake, glistening in the moonlight.  Jasna beamed.  It was another clear night and the moon was full and the stars were scattered like diamonds in a black velvet cloak.  The night was calm and the warm wind whistled through the grass, peacefully.  The trees in the forest didn't look half as menacing as they had a month ago.  The lake didn't have a ripple on it and it spread out on the horizon like smooth, dark glass.  Spring had arrived.

Jasna and Harry threw off the invisibility cloak and, hand in hand, they walked over to the lake.  Jasna had her eyes on the stars.  Harry was looking at the lake, eyes darting all over the place for Sirius' 'surprise.'  He was getting worried.  What if there was no surprise?  What if Sirius hadn't even written that note?  What if it was a trap?

Harry went rigid and stopped.

"What is it, Harry?" Jasna asked him.  Harry looked around at the lake and realized he was being paranoid.

"Nothing," he sighed, and smiled again.  He continued walking with her.  As they neared the lake, they were met by a black dog.  Harry grinned.

"I knew it," he said.  Jasna looked at him, confused.

"What?"  
"Nothing," Harry said again, scratching the dog behind the ears.  The dog wagged his tail in appreciation.  He looked Jasna up and down, with a studying expression to his eyes.

"Harry," Jasna whispered, anxiously, "There's something…"  
"Don't worry, Jasna," Harry assured her, "Everything's fine."  The dog nodded at Jasna, then turned to Harry again.  Gently, pulled at Harry's robes, directing him to a path by the lake.  Harry and Jasna followed obediently.  As they walked by the path, scattered lights lit up among the plants.  Jasna gasped and looked around.  She examined a light closely and grinned.

"Fairy lights," she said to Harry, "How did you manage it?" Harry didn't reply.  He was too happy to respond.  The dog continued walking in front of them on the path.  Harry and Jasna jumped as they heard a violin.  Looking around, Harry noticed that there was a violin floating in the air.  It was soon joined by a cello, a piano, and a flute, all playing by themselves.  Jasna gaped.  This was all incredible!

"Harry, how on earth…" she started.  But Harry put a finger to her lips.  
"Shh," he said, taking both of her hands.  She smiled warmly at him and he kissed her soft lips.

"Care to dance?" Harry asked her.  Jasna's warm smile turned into a grin.

"I'd love to," she answered.  Harry looked at the black dog.  Though dogs were hard to read, Harry swore he saw a smile on its face.

"Thank you, Snuffles," he said.  The dog barked in return, "You can go now." The dog growled and Harry narrowed his eyes.  Giving up, the dog padded away, giving Harry one last wink.

"That was odd," Jasna said, "How come that dog…"  
"Don't worry about it, Jasna.  Just believe it.  Live each moment at a time and wonder about it later.  I think we deserve that dance." Jasna grinned as Harry pulled her close and the two began to dance.  Jasna tenderly leaned her head on his shoulder.

"What do you think?" he asked her.

"It's beautiful," she answered, taken away with the romance the evening held.  Harry sighed into her silky raven hair.

"I will always love you."

"Even with all my imperfections?"

"What imperfections?" Jasna looked up at him to see a smile at his face.  She rested her head back on his shoulder as he held her closer.

"You're the first person who knows my past and doesn't run away screaming," she whispered.

"They don't know you like I do."

"And how well do you know me, Harry Potter?"

"Better than you know yourself." Jasna was silent.  Harry continued, "I know you better than I know myself.  I know you better than the sun knows the moon.  I need you more than the trees need sunlight.  I love you more than a desert flower loves the cool rain.  You're my desert flower…"

"And you're my rain." Jasna smiled, "What's with you?  You've gone all poetic on me."

"Don't ruin the mood, just go with it," he winked at her.  They softly danced to the mellow music without a care in the world.

"Harry, I wish we could stay like this forever. I know that must sound really stupid…" Harry put a finger to Jasna's lips.

"Sh, don't let it pass. Just listen. Listen to our beating hearts. Together."

"Whoa. You ARE poetic." Harry grinned.

"Yeah…I know." Jasna laughed.  They listened to the calming music and as they danced, Jasna retreated to her blissful thoughts.  She had never been happier in her life.  Her days at Hogwarts were the best she ever experienced and her love for Harry Potter grew with every breath she took, with every word he uttered, with every smile that crossed their faces.  She was perfectly content.  And at that moment, though she was rarely happy at any other time in her life, she was happy at that moment and that was enough for her.

"Harry," she said.

"Yeah?" said Harry.

"This is the best night of my life."

"Awe, it's not that great, really."

"What?" Jasna asked, pulling away slightly and appearing confused.  But Harry reassured her with a grin.

"You deserve much, much more." With a smile, Jasna allowed herself to be drawn back into Harry's embrace as the soft melody floated on the still night air.

In the weeks that followed, Jasna felt she was in heaven.  Aside from the fact that her mother had passed away (she still didn't know how, no one would tell her) she was blissfully content.  She had all she ever wanted.

No one knew, yet, about her family, other than the teachers, Harry, Ron and Hermione.  Few knew she was bipolar.  To most people, she was a normal girl.  The only thing that made her different from anyone else at the school was her American accent.  She was actually considered normal (or close to it.)

Ron and Hermione were extremely kind and friendly towards her, and they even knew her whole history.  They were real friends, friends she had always prayed for and wished she'd had.  And now, she had them.  They made her feel like a real person.

And then there was Harry.  Harry Potter was Jasna's whole world.  He was the one who made life worth living.  Jasna loved Harry more than life itself.  She would die for him.

Little did she know, she might have to.

It was a cheery spring day as she bounced into the Great Hall.  Her head was clearly in the clouds as she pulled her raven hair into a tight ponytail at the back of her head.  She straightened her robes and walked with a grin and a spring in her step to the Gryffindor table.  
"Hey, you seem happy this morning!" Harry greeted her with a soft kiss.

"Why wouldn't I be?  It's a new morning, the sun is shining, and I have everything I could ever ask for.  And I owe it all to you, three."  
"Us?" Harry asked, glancing at Hermione and Ron and sitting down at the table, "Why do you say that?"  
"I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for you guys.  You've made me feel wanted for the first time in my life.  Before, I lived for my mother.  She was the only thing I had.  I probably would have committed suicide without her, but then there was you guys.  Thanks."  
"No problem!" Ron cried, plopping a piece of French toast on his plate.  Hermione grinned at Jasna.

"We like you, Jasna," Hermione told her.  
"I know you do.  I just wanted to thank you for liking me."  
"If anything, I should thank you for not committing suicide," Harry said to her.  Jasna smiled at him.  She was taking her first bite of her eggs when the post came.  She gasped a letter was dropped in front of her.  She stared in dismay at the owl that dropped the letter.

"What is it?" Harry asked her.  
"It's black."  
"So?"  
"Black owls bring bad news." Jasna opened the letter and stared at it in horror.  She stood up.

"Jasna, are you OK?" Harry asked her.

"I don't know," she whispered, staring at the letter in her hand as she read through it.  She took in a sharp breath.  
"What's in the letter, Jasna?" Hermione asked.  Jasna was about to answer when a second owl came and dropped another note.  Jasna read it and both pieces of parchment fluttered from her fingers as she ran out of the hall. 

Harry picked up the fallen letters.

"What do they say?" Ron asked, concerned.

"The first one… 'I know where you are.  I can see you right now.  Sitting with your so-called friends.  I'm going to get you either way, Jasna.'  The first one ends there.  But then there's the second…"  
"What does the second say?" Ron asked.

"Run," Harry whispered as he looked at his two friends across the table.


	10. Anguish Knows Nothing of Love

Chapter Ten: Anguish Knows Nothing of Love 

Jasna ran out into the Entrance Hall.  It couldn't be him.  He couldn't get on Hogwarts grounds that easily.  She began to hyperventilate and wished she had a paper bag.  She clutched onto the castle walls for support.  She decided she needed fresh air.  Then, she'd go to Dumbledore.

As she stepped outside, the smell of spring was in the air.  She walked down the steps, still breathing hard.  That's when she saw it.  The dark figure standing by a tree, watching her.  She stopped dead, her eyes were wide.  She turned to run, but the man was quick as he yelled an incantation.  
"Petrificus Totalus!" he cried and the girl went rigid.  The cloaked man walked over to the girl, picked her up, and ran towards the forest.

After that, things seemed to go pretty fast.

Professor McGonagall burst into Dumbledore's office.  
"Minerva, if this is about that lecture about dying for the cause Professor Hights gave, I told you, the students were only slightly disturbed!"

"This has nothing to do with Anthony Hights, Headmaster," McGonagall said.

"What is it then?"  
"She's gone again," McGonagall answered him, "And this time, her friends say it wasn't her fault in the slightest."

Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in the Gryffindor common room.

"She just ran out on us," Harry whispered, "I can't believe that's the last I saw of her."  
"He was watching her," Hermione muttered, "All through breakfast, he was watching her!" she shivered at the thought.

"Where is she?" Ron sighed, "And how did her kidnapper get onto school grounds?"

"Hello, you three," Ginny said as she approached them, "I heard what happened."  
"Go away, Ginny," Ron muttered.

"I can't, I'm afraid.  I've grown to like Jasna."

"Leave them alone, Ginny," Neville said, leading her away.  Ginny nodded.

"Fine then," she said, "But I just want you to know I'm worried about her too."

"That's great, Gin," Ron said under his breath as she walked away.  There was one thought plaguing the minds of all three of them

_Was it Voldemort?_

Jasna found herself in a dark room.  Her hands were chained to the wall, above her head and her feet were tied together with rope.  The door opened and a tall, pale figure entered the room.  
"Hello, daughter," he hissed, cruelly.

"You!  You were at Hogwarts!"  
"No, actually.  Believe me, if I had been, I would have taken Harry Potter, not you.  But Wormtail, here, was foolish."  
"I'm sorry, Master!" Wormtail cried.

"Yes, it sounds too easy, doesn't it?  I've been trying to destroy Harry Potter for years.  Why hadn't I just taken him out of Hogwarts before?  Believe me, I've tried.  It's not easy when that Dumbledore is watching him like a hawk.  Do you know how difficult it is to get that boy alone?  Or to lure him into capture?  Wormtail has been watching you, desperately waiting for the chance, in his brand new invisibility cloak.  And now, I have my dear daughter in my clutches again." Jasna spat at him.

"Go to hell!" she muttered.

"Jasna, I need you," Voldemort murmured, "Will you help me?"

"I wouldn't help you if my life depended on it!"  
"Funny choice of words," Voldemort smiled, "Seeing as your life does depend on it.  You see, I need you as bait."  
"Bait?"

"Yes, bait.  I need you to bring me Harry Potter.  Trust me, Jasna, I can give you all you ever dreamed of if you just bring me the Boy Who Lived.  No harm will come to you or anyone else you care for if you just bring me that boy!"

Jasna did nothing but glare at him and look him in the eyes with disgust.  She was being brave, just as Harry told her to be.

"Funny," Voldemort said, as he chuckled a frightful laugh, "Last we met, you trembled before me.  You shuttered when I whispered in your ear.  You flinched when I stroked your hair.  You hated when I touched you.  You hated me."  
"I still do hate you."

"GIVE ME HARRY POTTER!" Voldemort screamed at her, rattling her chains.

"BITE!  ME!" She screamed back.  Voldemort stepped away from her.

"You Americans and your pride.  You are a foolish girl, did you know that?"

"And you are a sick and twisted bastard, did you know that?" Jasna returned.

"Cooperate, Jasna, spare yourself.  Give me Harry Potter."  
"I'm not afraid of you anymore." Voldemort laughed.

"Is that so?"  
"Yes, that's so.  I don't even hate you anymore."  
"Really?" Voldemort sounded impressed.

"What I feel towards you is beyond any loathing anyone has ever felt."  
"Then I suppose you have just proven your mother right," Voldemort grinned.

"What?" Jasna frowned.

"I paid her a visit a month or two ago.  I asked her to tell me one person that either didn't hate me or wasn't afraid.  Little did she know, a good example would have been you."  
"What?" Jasna said again.  
"Unfortunately, I didn't need her much longer.  I needed to tie up some loose ends," Voldemort leaned in close to his daughter.  What he said next was in a menacing whisper and made Jasna's blood boil with fury, "_I killed your mother, Jasna.  I killed Mia Larden." Jasna screamed in rage, grief and frustration and began calling Voldemort a parade of things, the next one worse than the last.  When she had finished, Voldemort was still grinning._

"Don't die the way your mother did, Jasna," Voldemort said, mockingly, "Don't turn into your weak mother.  Give me Harry Potter and all will be well." It was Jasna's turn to lean in.  She reached over as far as she could to her father.

"No." she spat.  It was a simple syllable, but it held so much meaning.  Voldemort sighed and shook his head.

"Why does this boy matter to you so much, Jasna?" Voldemort asked her, "Why do you think he's worth protecting?"

"I love him." Voldemort laughed. "I love him more than I have ever loved anyone other than my mother.  And he loves me.  He loves me more than you ever have or will."

"Love!" Voldemort spat the word out as if it was some vile-tasting food he had just tasted. "Love is stupid.  Love is foolish.  Love is futile.  Love has no point.  There is something you must understand.  There is no such thing as love.  It is merely an infatuation.  Don't fall into love's trap.  It makes you weak.  Like your mother."  
"DON'T YOU DARE INSULT HER THAT WAY!" Jasna screamed "DON'T TALK ABOUT MY MOTHER LIKE THAT!"

"Give me Harry Potter," Voldemort demanded again.

"Not in your life." Voldemort sighed.

"Then we will have to do this the hard way.  Don't complain to me about it, I tried to make you agree like a civilized person." Jasna stared in horror as she saw Voldemort take out his wand.

"_Crucio!"_

She was not on school grounds this time.  They had searched everywhere and told the authorities Jasna had been kidnapped.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were on their way to transfiguration as they past a few gossiping first years.

"I heard she ran away," one of them whispered, "And I heard it's not the first time."

"I heard she was kicked out," another said, the only girl in the group, "She'd been kicked out of her last school too."

"I've heard she's been kidnapped!" the second boy whispered dramatically, "And they want some information out of her.  Something about Harry Potter!" there was silence as the other two contemplated this, then laughed.

"Harry Potter?  Where'd you hear that?"  
"I heard it from the Slytherins of course!" the second boy said proudly, "A few fifth and fourth year Slytherins."  
"It wasn't that Malfoy bloke, was it?" said the only girl, "Because I heard he starts rumors."  
"He's reliable when it comes to this sort of thing, you can…"

"Come on, Harry," Hermione urged, pulling him by the arm.

"Yeah, you don't want to listen to those stupid first years," Ron nodded.  Harry let out a deep sigh and continued walking with them to Transfiguration.

"What if Malfoy's right?" he asked them, "What if she was taken because of me?"  
"Relax, Harry," Ron said, "She's OK."  
"Yeah, Ron's right.  Hurry up, we'll be late."

Jasna's head was drooping.  Her ponytail had come loose and the loose strands were plastered against her damp face.  Her vision was blurred from the blood and pain and she was sure the impairment was permanent.  She let out a deep sigh and saw one of her strands of hair.  She frowned.

"White," she whispered, seeing the dull color, "Stupid stress.  I'm fifteen!  I'm just fifteen!  Oh God, help me!" she began to cry.

"There, there, my dear," Voldemort whispered icily as he entered the room.  Jasna looked up at him with her tear-streaked face and burning eyes.  She said nothing and soon looked away.  Voldemort smiled.

"You will help me, whether you're willing to or not," he hissed.  Jasna prepared herself for another round of suffering as she watched her father, her very own father, pull out his wand.  She twisted and writhed as she felt every muscle in her body boil in anguish.  Such anguish she had never known and it smothered her as its ice-cold fist clutched her still-beating heart and slowly, painfully, squeezed the essence of life out of her body.

Jasna no longer wished to go on living.  And yet, she held on.  She held on for one person alone.  She would never agree to her father's terrible plan.  She had to protect him.

As people sat at their tables that evening, gossiping about the missing Gryffindor girl, Dumbledore rose.  All heads in the hall turned to him, all eyes were locked on him, attentively awaiting his words.

"I stand here before you now, to ask a favor of you." He paused as he looked around the room. "I ask that you all say a prayer tonight.  To whoever may be listening, say a prayer for young Jasna Larden.  Pray she has strength.  Pray she has courage.  Pray her suffering is soon to end.  I will not lie to you.  The missing student that should be in our midst tonight is in grave danger.  I fear she will not conquer without support.  Give her our support.  Thank you," Dumbledore sat down.

For the rest of the night, the Great Hall was strangely quiet.  There were still whispers, though.

"It must be bad if Dumbledore said that," they'd say.  Harry, Ron and Hermione tried to block out the rumors and accusations and ate their meal in silence.  Those three youths knew that the others in the hall could not begin to comprehend the torture that Jasna must have been enduring at that very moment.

Jasna's body was failing her.  Voldemort had come up with a new plan.  It was a back up plan, incase Jasna refused to cooperate.

He walked into the room and saw her beaten, bloody body, hanging in her bounds, barely alive.

"Dear daughter," he whispered, "You could have been great.  You could have been my heir.  But instead, you chose love over power, an insane choice.  You are nothing but a lovesick imbecile.  It is time you met your true destiny."  
And then there came the pain.  The agony that rose above her like a towering, merciless beast, milking her heart of the valued life energy.  It's terrible eyes bored into the depths of her soul, burning her on the inside.  It's teeth ripped at her flesh, the venom seeping into her blood.  Its cry was the pounding of blood in her ears, rendering her deaf to anything else.  It's claws tore at the fiber of her being as it hissed threatening words into her ear.  It slowly drover her insane with it's hissing.

**_He's as good as dead and so are you.  Give up.**_

No.

**_I can leave you if you give up.  I will go away.  You will be in a blissful state of mind.  You won't have to think anymore, you won't have to worry, you won't have to struggle to breathe.  You won't have to breathe at all. You won't have to feel my endless torture.  Give up.**_

I will never give in to Lord Voldemort.

**_Then he is right, you are a foolish girl.  Your precious Harry is dying.  Slowly, but he is dying, just as you are dying.  You can't save him by enduring me.  Why do you keep going?  Why don't you give up?**_

Because I love him.

**_Love means nothing.**_

Not to you.  You are a monster.  You know nothing but to cause torture.

**_Love means nothing.  Give up.**_

No.

_**He doesn't love you, Jasna.**_

Yes he does.

**_He pities you.  He feels sorry for the daughter of Lord Voldemort.  He pities the wretch that has to tolerate what you tolerate.  The poor thing's mother, the only thing she lived for is dead and he felt sorry.  He lied to you.  He doesn't love you.  There is no such thing as love.**_

YOU LIE!

**_I speak the truth.  The truth hurts, doesn't it?**_

Liar.  You do not know love.

**_And neither do you.  Neither does he.**_

I… I don't know what to do…


	11. Windows To The Soul

Chapter Eleven: Windows to the Soul

The one person she wanted to find her found her on the steps leading up to the school.  He was walking with Ron and Hermione on their way to Care of Magical Creatures.

"Hagrid's bound to have something to…" Ron stopped.

"What is…" Hermione halted her question.

"Why don't people ever finish their…" Harry trailed off.

The contorted, bloody, beaten body of Jasna Marie Larden lay on the steps of Hogwarts, blood still seeping onto the clean steps.

"Jasna!" Harry cried, kneeling by her side and lifting her head on his lap, "Jasna!" She looked up at him with dead eyes, glazed over with pain.  
"Ha-Harry…" she choked, shaking her head.

"Jasna, you're alive!" Harry cried.

"Barely," Ron muttered to Hermione, who just nodded and ran to get a teacher.  She ran head along into Draco Malfoy.

"Watch where you're going, Granger!  Where's the fire…" but Malfoy saw the reason for her haste, "Jasna?" he asked. And there, the scene froze.  Ron, Hermione and Malfoy watching on as Harry held Jasna's bloody head in his lap.  With one last look, Hermione dashed into the building.  Ron knelt down next to Harry and Jasna.

"I… I didn't know what to do… I was so scared…"  
"You were brave, Jasna.  Hold on," Harry said.  They both had tears in their eyes, Jasna's was mixed with her own blood. 

"I love you, Harry.  I really do."  
"I love you, too."  
"Do you really?" Jasna was gasping for air.  Harry nodded and took off his glasses.  He held her close in a warm embrace.  He didn't care about what condition she was in.  He didn't care about the gore, or the broken bones, or the shortness of breath.  He had Jasna in his arms again, just as always.  He truly did love her.  He adored her.  He kissed her softly.  Her eyes were tired and warn.

"I didn't give in, Harry," she whispered, "I… I didn't give… in…"

"Jasna, hold on," Harry pleaded.  Jasna gave a weak smile.

"Never give in, Harry," she whispered, "Never." Her eyes began to roll.

"Jasna!" Harry cried, giving her a shake.  She blinked.

"Don't give up on us now, Jasna, you've come this far!" Ron said, comfortingly.  Harry looked up at his best friend.  Ron's blue eyes were full of concern and fear.  Harry realized Ron didn't want to lose Jasna just as much as Harry didn't want to lose Jasna.  The four of them, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Jasna had grown close over the past few months.  And now, Ron was watching her die in Harry's arms.  This was hard for him too.

Ron looked around, anxiously.

"Damn it, where IS Hermione???" Harry didn't answer.  He was too intent on keeping Jasna conscious.  He was afraid that if she lost consciousness for just one second, he would lose her forever.  Draco was rooted to the spot.  He wasn't saying or doing a thing.  His face was wiped clean of emotion.

Hermione and Dumbledore hurried through the door.  Dumbledore conjured up a stretcher and quietly told the three students to follow him.

Dumbledore gently lifted Jasna's limp body onto the hospital bed as Madam Pomfrey entered the room.

"I came as soon as I heard, Professor," Madam Pomfrey said, seeing the young girl on the bed, "I'm afraid the students will have to…"

"We understand," Hermione murmured.

"Work your magic, Poppy," Dumbledore said as he led the youths out of the room.

"Go back to your classes," Dumbledore told them, "You will be updated on her condition." Harry looked into his crystal eyes and saw a weakness in them he had never seen before.  Harry nodded and Dumbledore disappeared into the hospital wing again.

For a while, the four of them didn't move at all.  Harry half expect Malfoy to shoot a nasty comment at them.  And he knew if Malfoy even tried it, Harry wouldn't hesitate in knocking him out.  But Malfoy said nothing, he was just staring at the door.

"I never would have guessed…" Malfoy muttered.  Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't say a word.  Malfoy started to shake his head and headed down the corridor.  The other three watched his retreating back with extreme shock and sorrow.

Without warning, Malfoy stopped, his back still to the other traumatized adolescents.  Finally, he worked up the nerve to turn around.  He was looking down at the floor.  The others were watching him, expectantly.  Finally, Malfoy looked up and met Harry's eyes.  Neither of them moved. 

At that moment, an unspoken understanding passed between them.  The eyes are the windows to the soul.  And the two boys were staring straight into each other's soul.

Malfoy took a deep breath and held it for a moment.  Finally, he sighed and looked away.

"I just wanted to say, Potter," he said, in an almost inaudible whisper, "That… Jasna's alright.  For a Gryffindor, anyway.  She's alright." Finally, Malfoy looked back up at Harry, who hadn't moved a muscle, and gave the first, sincere warm smile he had ever given him.  He turned away again, and continued walking down the hall.  Harry watched him until he was out of sight.  Finally, he turned to his best friends.

"Come on," he said, "Hagrid will wonder where we went."

"Are we going to tell him?" Hermione asked.  Her voice was nearly gone.  Harry saw her eyes shine with new tears.  She blinked and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand.

"I guess we have to, don't we?" Harry answered, "He'll know soon enough, anyway."

"Yeah.  He'd want to know, too.  He cares about Jasna." Ron nodded and the three went on their way to Care of Magical Creatures.

"'Arry!" Hagrid cried.  He sounded more cheerful than he felt.  He was worried for Jasna, but he put on a smile for the students. "Where 'ave you three bin then?" Harry, Ron and Hermione trudged sadly towards their classmates, who were busy trying to figure out what creature Hagrid had given them this time.  They were talking about it in loud voices.

"What are we doing today, Hagrid?" Ron finally asked.  Hagrid frowned.

"I'll tell yeh that when yeh tell me where you've bin!" Hagrid said.  Harry sighed and looked at Hermione, who turned away from the other three.

"And what's wrong with 'er?" Hagrid added.  Harry took a deep breath.

"They found her, Hagrid," he said.  The whole class went silent.  All muttering ceased, all complaints were hushed.  Everyone heard what Harry had said, and everyone knew what he meant.  They all looked up at him, expectantly.

"And?" Hagrid breathed, anxiously.

"And… She's in the hospital wing." Harry answered, sadly, "They don't know how she's going to do."  
"What 'appened to 'er then?"

"She…" Harry closed his eyes tight to keep the hot tears from falling.  He felt them burning a hole through his skull at the back of his eyes, threatening to drive him mad.  But he couldn't let them fall.  Not here.  Not now.  He turned away from Hagrid and the class, in case his efforts to stop the tears were in vain.

Ron noticed Harry couldn't finish.  He didn't blame him.  And Hermione wasn't looking up to tell them what happened either.  Ron knew someone had to tell them.  But he didn't feel like doing it either.  They'd all know by dinner anyway.

"You'll… You'll know tonight, I'm sure," Ron finally said.

"But Hagrid deserves to know now," Hermione muttered.

"No, no," Hagrid assured them, seeing how it upset them, "Ron's right.  Yeh don' need to say anythin'.  We'll be fine." Now, he addressed the class, "Now all o' yeh, pay attention to yer animal." Everyone went back to what they had been doing before except there was a new, quieter topic of conversation: What had happened to Jasna Larden?

"Now, 'Arry, I'd dismiss yeh students from class, but-"  
"But nothing, Hagrid," Harry interrupted, "I want to be here.  It helps to keep my mind off of things."

"Right.  Well, then I'll be right back.  I'm goin' to go get yer things." Hagrid turned away and walked towards the back garden.  As Harry leaned against the cabin, with every ounce he had left in him, he whispered that terrible word.

"Tortured, Hagrid," he said, nearly inaudible.  The pain and misery building up inside him was beyond tears now.  He couldn't cry, even if he wanted to.  But all of that misery, all of that pain, was expressed in the way he said that word.

"Sorry, wha' did yeh say?" Hagrid asked, turning back to them.

"T…Tortured, Hagrid, she was tortured," he repeated, softly.  Hagrid had to clutch the wall of his hut to keep steady.

"She wasn't!" he cried.  Harry nodded, sadly, and sunk to the ground.  He buried his face in his hands.  Hermione gave a small sob as she too hid her face in her arms.

Harry felt a large, comforting hand resting on his shoulder.  He looked up into the face of the giant.  But then, he looked past Hagrid at Ron.  Ron was looking towards the castle at something; his face was impassive.  Harry looked towards the horizon to see what he was looking at.

Walking patiently across the field as if nothing was wrong, his robes blowing behind him in the wind was Professor Albus Dumbledore.  As he approached, the other students in the class looked up again.

"Is it true, Professor?" Hagrid asked him, "Jasna, she wasn'…"

"Not now, Hagrid," Dumbledore replied.  He kneeled down next to Harry, "Look at me, Harry." Harry looked up into those beautiful blue eyes.  They were soft with compassion.

"She's not d-d… Is she d…"

"Alive?  Of course, my dear lad, and I'm sure she wants to see you." Harry straightened up.  He noticed Hermione's head fly up from her arms and Ron whip right around to make sure Dumbledore had actually said what he thought he'd said.

"Would you excuse him from class, Hagrid?  He has a dear friend waiting for him in the hospital wing," Dumbledore asked. Harry looked up at Hagrid, who nodded, understanding.  Dumbledore pulled Harry to his feet with a warm smile.  He then looked at Ron and Hermione.

"You two can come as well if you like, but only one with her at a time," he said to them.  The other two followed the headmaster obediently and excitedly to the hospital.

As they crossed the school grounds again, there was only one thought going through Harry's mind: _She's alive!  She's OK!  She's alive!_

They walked down the empty hall in silence, Dumbledore in the lead.  Finally, after what seemed like hours, they reached the hospital wing.  Dumbledore turned to Harry.

"I'll call for you," he told him, and disappeared behind the doors to the room.  Harry, Ron and Hermione waited impatiently outside.  There was a question hanging in the air, unsaid and unanswered.  How alive was she?


	12. Anguish, Death, Love, Hope and Hate

Chapter Twelve: Anguish, Death, Love, Hope and Hate

Madam Pomfrey saw Dumbledore enter the room and sighed.

"She's in a very fragile state."  
"I know, Poppy." Dumbledore nodded. "I wish to speak with her alone, though." Madam Pomfrey also nodded and left.  Dumbledore approached the bed.  She was sitting up, but her back was to him.

"Jasna?" Dumbledore called her name, cautiously.  She didn't move. "Jasna…" Dumbledore put his hand on her shoulder.  Slowly, she turned her head.  Dumbledore didn't have any outward reaction to the expressionless face that he met.  Though it was a surprising one.

Jasna looked like a skeleton.  Her sallow skin stretched across the bones in her face as if there wasn't enough to cover her whole body, giving her a sunken look.  Her bright green eyes were twice their usual size and they looked devoid of emotion.  They looked hollow, adding to her sunken appearance.  Her lips were white and her raven hair framed the pallid face.  Dumbledore noticed a small streak of grayish white in her hair.  She had a few scars, but all of them were minor.  She had lost a lot of weight.  She was barely alive.

"Jasna, do you know where you are?" Jasna nodded. "Do you know what happened to you?" Again, she nodded. "Do you want to talk about it?" She shook her head. "That's alright.  You don't have to talk about it."

"I don't trust you." She hissed the words icily.  Dumbledore frowned.

"You don't trust me?"  
"It's your fault!" she screamed, "You said we'd be safe!  You said we had nothing to worry about!  McGonagall was right, I should have left, I should have gone far, far away from here!  I should have left, I should have left…" From those giant, sad eyes, streams of tears began to fall down her sickly face.

"Jasna, I said you should have stayed and I stand by that statement.  You are safer here than anywhere else.  He would have found you even if you had gone to Siberia.  It would have made no difference.  He was determined.  But had you have been anywhere else, you wouldn't have the wonderful medical works of our very own Madam Pomfrey.  You might have been dead right now."  
"Maybe… Maybe I'm better off dead…" Jasna whispered.  Dumbledore sadly shook his head.

"There is more to life than death, Jasna.  Much more."  
"My mother's dead."  
"Yes, she is."  
"Would she have been alive if we had stayed in Massachusetts?"

"Probably not." Jasna let out a small sob. "Jasna, you may not like it, but all of this was going to happen one way or another.  He would have found your mother one day, sooner or later, and he would have done the exact same thing.  Then he would have found you, wherever in the world you happened to be.  Do not think about what might have happened if you did something different because the outcome would always be the same.  You had no way of preventing this, Jasna.  What matters is, you are alive." There was silence when Dumbledore finished.  Finally, Jasna looked up at the old, wise wizard with her sad eyes, brimming with new tears.  Her next words were in a questioning, confused, sad and regretful whisper.

"Am I, Professor?" Dumbledore didn't say a word. "I died the moment she did.  I know I did.  I know it.  She didn't deserve to die.  Not like that."  
"Life goes on, Jasna.  With or without our loved ones.  Look at Harry Potter.  He lost his parents when he was only a year old.  No one deserves to die.  Lily and James certainly didn't.  And neither did Mia.  Death is a swift and mysterious thing.  He comes on silent wings when he is least expected.  He nearly came to you."  
"I saw Him," Jasna said, "I saw Death."

"What else did you see?" Dumbledore asked.

"You're right.  It was so silent and sudden.  But He wasn't the first thing I met.  I… I met Anguish."

"What did Anguish say?"

"You mean I wasn't going crazy?" Jasna asked, surprised.

"When in extreme agony, some people believe they speak to their pain.  Perhaps it was temporary insanity and perhaps not.  What did it say?"

"It said… It said he didn't love me."

"Who didn't love you?"

"He said… Harry.  He said Harry didn't love me.  I said it was a lie.  It said if I just let go that everything would be fine.  Then, I saw Death."

"And what did it say?" Dumbledore said, patiently.  Jasna remembered it all too well.  

She was on the steps when she saw Death.  His voice was not threatening.

**_Jasna, come with me.**_

I can't.

**_Yes you can.**_

No, I can't.  Harry.

**_Do you love him?**_

Yes.

**_Does he love you?**_

I don't know.

**_Anguish says many things to torture His victims.  You must not hold it against Him, it's His job.  However, sometimes the truth is the most painful thing He can say.**_

Are you saying Harry doesn't love me?

**_I am saying be wary of what He said.  I do not know what he told you, but be wary.**_

I… I don't know what to do…

**_You can come with me, or you can stay.  There are consequences for each.**_

Consequences?  How?

**_There are many things that make up the corners of this earth.  There is Anguish.  There is Death.  There is Hope.  There is Love.  And there is Hate.**_

I don't understand.

**_Love can save you from Death, Jasna.  His Love for you can save you.  But your father's Hate for you can destroy you.  Therefore, you have a choice.**_

"He sounded very… He didn't sound cruel.  He sounded neutral."

"Death is not cruel." Dumbledore told her. "He is neither good nor evil.  He is neutral."

"He came for me.  He said I had a choice."

"You chose to stay."

"I'm scared."  
"I know." Dumbledore nodded. "I know.  Do you want to talk to Harry?" Jasna's eyes suddenly became ice cold.

"No," she answered simply.

"I know he wants to see you.  He's worried about you."  
"Tell him I died."

"You know you don't want me to tell him that," said Dumbledore, "It'll tear him apart."

"You don't know that."  
"Jasna." Dumbledore merely said her name.

"What?"

"He wants to see you."

"Send him in then." Jasna gave in, reluctantly.  Dumbledore rose and walked to the door.  As he left a young, terrified looking teenager entered, his green eyes were glistening with tears.  Jasna saw he'd been trying hard not to cry.  She felt little sympathy.  He was doing it again, thinking he got the worst of it.

Harry walked over to her bed hurriedly, seeing she was awake.  She was still bruised and beaten and extremely pale.  She looked a bit like a recovering anorexic that had also been through a very bad fight.

"Jasna!" Harry sighed with relief.  It felt good to say her name again, knowing she could hear him and respond.  She stared at him, blankly, with those sunken eyes.

"Hello, Harry," she finally replied, blandly.

"I'm so glad you're OK.  Ron and Hermione, too, we were so worried about you!"

"Were you?"  
"What?" Harry frowned, confused.  What was she saying?

"I said were you worried?" Jasna repeated.  Her face was completely impassive.  She wasn't about to fall for his charm this time.  
"Jasna, I love you!" Harry cried and tried to put his arms around her but she pulled away.

"Are you sure?" Jasna said quietly.  The words that leaked from her lips pierced Harry's soul like hot daggers.  Her voice was like a woeful wind, forever constant in its sorrowful whispers.

"Harry, you don't look so good. Maybe you should eat some more of your breakfast…" Ron piled some more bacon on Harry's plate.  

"Thanks Ron," Harry smiled weakly. He hadn't eaten dinner either. But he felt he couldn't keep anything in him. Not since he saw the broken spirit that had once been Jasna.  He mashed his eggs around his plate and sighed. 

"Oh Harry…Starving yourself is not the way to help Jasna. Or anything else," Hermione put another spoonful of eggs on his plate. 

"Yeah Harry, she's right. I mean, she's Hermione." Ron piled some more sausage on his plate. Harry stared at the pile of food on his plate, which was now steadily growing.

"Have some more fruit."

"More toast."

"More eggs."

"Syrup?"

"No…no thank you. I appreciate it, but I'm just not hungry. Don't worry."

"I want to see every single bite of that food gone BEFORE BREAKFAST IS DONE!" Harry jumped in his seat, and looked disturbed as he ate his food, nervously glancing at Hermione every now and then. 

"Wow, Hermione. That's the way to do it," Ron said wonderingly. Hermione blushed. 

"Mr. Potter?" Harry looked up from his breakfast and saw the face of Albus Dumbledore looking very grave.

"What is it, Professor?" asked Harry.  Ron and Hermione were also anxiously awaiting the answer.

"We need your help.  It's Jasna, no one can get her to eat or speak.  We were wondering if perhaps you could convince her to do at least one." Harry nodded and stood up.  Ron and Hermione watched them exit the hall.  Ron leaned in close to Hermione.

"How can he convince her to eat when he's not eating himself?"


	13. She Deserves the World

Chapter Thirteen: She Deserves the World

Harry entered the room and saw Jasna staring at her tray of food.  When she heard the door close, she looked up and saw him.

"Jasna, you have to eat, you're killing yourself." She didn't reply.  Dumbledore said she hadn't said a word since Harry spoke with her the day before. She just stared at him, blankly.  Harry sat down in the chair next to her.

"OK, maybe you don't care if you're killing yourself.  But Jasna, you're killing me!" though her expression didn't show it, Harry felt he'd caught her interest.  But she still didn't reply. "I don't know what you're doing here, Jasna, but you're killing me.  It just kills me to see you like this; sad, scared, angry… broken… It's just not you.  You're isolating yourself from everyone who wants to help you, from everyone who loves you.  I just want to know why!  Why, Jasna?" Jasna was as silent as a wilted rose.  Harry looked at his feet and blinked away the tears.  Jasna seemed to have lost interest him and turned away to look straight ahead of her out the window.

"I thought you were strong, Jasna," he whispered, eyes on the floor.  His girlfriend didn't move. "You were the strongest person I knew.  You put up with the prejudice against you and your mother.  You faced the fact about who your father was and you never allowed him to wield any power over you whatsoever.  You always looked him in the eye and went through the pain he put you through with a brave face.  You looked your monsters in the eye, Jasna.  You were brave, braver than I ever could be.  I know I'd crumble before him if I was in your shoes, I wouldn't be able to take it.  And you get no credit for your bravery.  You deserve it much more than I do.  And I swear, if I could give it to you, I would!  Honestly, I would, if I knew it would make you happy and if it could make you yourself again.

"You deserve everything you want, Jasna, you deserve the world.  You deserve happiness.  But you don't deserve this.  You don't deserve this torment you're struggling against.  You don't deserve to suffer the pain of losing your mother, you don't deserve to go through the agony he puts you through every day of your life.  Though you may not believe it, I understand now, Jasna.  I understand what you go through, what he puts you through.  I understand you better than you understand yourself, remember?"

Jasna was staring straight ahead with eyes as blank and cold as a frozen evergreen forest.  Harry sighed, looked down, and then looked back up at the one person he had ever truly loved.  He took her hand tenderly in his.  She didn't seem to notice.

"You're a beautiful person, Jasna.  You have a great personality, you're fun to laugh with and you're even fun to argue with.  You have the prettiest face I've ever seen and you have the biggest heart that I've ever known.  You're absolutely perfect to me, despite what anyone else says.  I don't care if you never talk again; I don't care if you just stay in some sort of expressionless state like this; I don't care if you hate me.  You're still the most beautiful, most graceful creature that ever walked the face of this earth.  You're perfect.  And I love you.  I loved you when you were screaming at me. I loved you when you kissed me; I loved you when you danced with me. I loved you when he took you away; I loved you when I found you bruised and beaten; I loved you when you asked me if it was true; and I love you now.  I love you now, even as you sit in that bed staring at the window.  And I'll always love you, Jasna, always."

Harry waited a moment, staring at Jasna expectantly.  Soon, he saw her frown and look down at his hand, holding hers, as if just realizing he'd done it.  Then, she looked up at him, still frowning as if confused.  Then, she smiled.  Harry smiled too.  He took this as his cue and leaned in to hug her.  She didn't pull away this time.  This time, she leaned her head on his shoulder, a tear in her eyes, and hugged him back.

Over the next few days, Jasna was unresponsive to everyone.  The only person she seemed to acknowledge was alive was Harry Potter.  Harry was the only one that she would show any signs of life to.  She'd lean her head on his shoulder every now and then while he put his arm around her, soothing her, trying to convince her to come back to reality.  She'd smile at him occasionally, and while they were supposed to be becoming more frequent, it was the opposite.  She smiled less and less as the days past.

"Come on, Jasna," Harry whispered kindly in her ear one day. "You have to come back sometime.  They miss you here.  Ron and Hermione miss you loads.  You don't want to let them down, do you?" She didn't answer.  She would usually respond in some way to Harry's questions, but she wasn't speaking anymore.  She just shifted a bit, trying to get closer to Harry who gave her a small squeeze around the shoulders.  She let out a small sob.  
"Sh, sh, relax, I'm here.  I'll always be here.  I love you, Jasna Marie Larden.  I always will."

It was weeks after Jasna had been found and the rumors had been spread when Dumbledore knew something had to be done.  Something had to be done to help Jasna and it couldn't be done here.  Though people she loved and a familiar place surrounded her, it seemed as though Hogwarts was doing more harm to her than good.  Dumbledore knew all too well that it would be hell when Harry found out.  The poor boy.  He walked over to his table.

"Harry?" he said.  Harry looked up at him.  Dumbledore noticed that Ron and Hermione were watching him as well.  He let out a sad sigh.

"Harry, there's nothing we can do for Jasna here.  It seems that Hogwarts isn't helping her at all.  Though it is a friendly environment, she doesn't seem to be doing any better.  There is a ward in St. Mungo's, a mental health ward that we'll have to send her to…"  
"No!" Harry cried, standing up.

"Harry, sit down…" Ron whispered.  Hermione had her hands to her mouth.

"She'll do better, I know she will!  You can't move her, you can't!  She needs me, she needs me to take care of her!  I can't take care of her if she's not here!  Please, Professor!  She won't do any better at St. Mungo's than she will here!  This is the best place for her, can't you see that?  Professor, please, you can't!" Harry was practically begging Dumbledore not to do this, but Dumbledore knew it had to be done, for Jasna's own good.  He just shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Harry.  It will be better for her there.  The doctors think she'll do much better there, Madam Pomfrey believes she'll do much better there.  You can see her any time you want, Harry." Harry sighed and fell back into his seat, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

"I…"

"It's OK, Harry…" Ron patted him comfortingly on the back.

"She'll be fine, Harry, this'll help her." Hermione did her best to cheer him up too.

"It's just that… I… I feel so…"

"So what, Harry?" Ron asked.

"Helpless."

"You have to get better, Jasna," Harry whispered into her hair as he held her close. "You have to, OK?  If you don't they'll take you away.  They'll take you away from here to some mental health ward at St. Mungo's…" Jasna emitted a small sob. "I know, I know, I feel the same way.  But that's why you have to get better.  You have to speak again.  You have to eat more, Jasna.  Starving yourself doesn't help anything.  This is destroying us, Jasna.  It's destroying you and it's destroying me.  Please, Jasna, you have to do something."

"I… I don't want to go, Harry…" Harry pulled away slightly to look at her.  There were tears in her eyes.

"Did you just…"

"I don't want to go.  I don't want to leave you." Harry embraced her again as she cried on his shoulder.  
"I know, I know.  I don't want you to go either.  But you're speaking again, that's a good sign, they might-"

"You don't get it…" Jasna whispered. "I don't want to go."

"I know.  I get it, Jasna."  
"No you don't." She slowly shook her head.  Harry sighed.  He decided that agreeing with her might be the best way.

"OK, I don't get it then."

"I don't want to go.  I don't want to go." She sobbed.  He kissed her forehead softly.

"Sh, Jasna, it'll be OK.  Everything will be OK."

"Everything will be OK," Jasna repeated in a whisper.

It happened in the middle of the night.  Harry had awoken from a startling nightmare.  He could still hear Jasna's piercing screams ringing in his ears.  Something was wrong.  He sat up in his bed and a grim sense swept over him.  Something was definitely wrong.

Jumping out of bed, he grabbed a robe and ran into the common room where he saw Professor McGonagall climbing in through the portrait hole.  She was slightly surprised to see Harry there.

"What's wrong, Professor?"

"Where's Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger?" she replied.

"Still asleep, I'd expect.  What's wrong?"

"We must awaken them.  I'll get Granger, you get Weasley."

"Tell me what's wrong!" Harry demanded.

"Once your friends are together, I'll take you to it, OK?" McGonagall was very insistent.  Yet, so was Harry.

"If it has anything to do with Jasna-"  
"Get Ron, Harry!" McGonagall cried.  Harry nodded and ran back up to his dormitory.

"Ron!" he said quietly and hastily. "Ron!" He shook his best friend by the shoulders.

"Wha… Harry?" Ron said groggily and opened his eyes.

"Yes.  Come on, Ron, we have to go downstairs, Professor McGonagall needs to talk to us."

"What about?" Ron asked.

"I don't know.  She won't tell me until you and Hermione are there.  Ron, I think it's something about Jasna."  
"Jasna?" Ron's weariness seemed to disappear instantly as he sat straight up in bed.  Harry nodded.  Ron got up and followed Harry downstairs.  McGonagall and Hermione were already there.

"Gentlemen, Miss Granger, follow me." The students followed McGonagall out of the portrait hole down the hall.  Though McGonagall hadn't told them anything, all three knew it was something about Jasna.  No one said a word as they walked down the silent corridor.

As they approached the hospital wing, McGonagall began to speak.

"I didn't think it was a good idea to wake you in the middle of the night, but Dumbledore insisted you would have wanted to be alerted right away…" They came to the door.  McGonagall turned around and faced the three. "Right.  What you are about to learn might be startling and will definitely be devastating.  I want you to brace yourselves." Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded.  As McGonagall turned and placed her hand on the doorknob, Harry vividly remembered his dream.

"In life and death

In Essence bind

Let those who know

Have piece of mind." Jasna whispered to her wand.  It glowed slightly and then fell still.  She then turned to her bedside table where a small knife lay.

"I love you, Harry Potter." She sighed and let the words carry out on the cool night air.

And then, he heard the scream.


	14. Sins of the Fathers

Chapter Fourteen: Sins of The Fathers

 After that, everything seemed to go in slow motion.  McGonagall slowly opened the door and Harry couldn't bear to look at what he knew he was going to see.  Instead, he turned to Ron and Hermione for support, but their eyes were on the one thing Harry never wanted to see.

The emotion shown in their faces would forever be etched in Harry's mind.  Ron looked as though someone had stabbed him in the back with a sharp knife.  His eyes were glazed over in painful surprise and his mouth was trying to form words that would never come.  Hermione gasped and held the wall to make sure she wouldn't fall.  Her knees became weak and she slid to the floor.

The bloodcurdling scream still rang in his ears like a loud and mournful knell at a funeral.  Harry closed his eyes shut.  He didn't want to see.  As long as he didn't see it, it wasn't there.  It hadn't happened.  He was still dreaming; he had to be still dreaming.  That was the only explanation: he had to be asleep.  He felt Ron's hand on his shoulder.

"Harry…" he murmured.  At that moment, Harry knew.  He had to open his eyes.  He had to see.  No one lives forever.

Harry opened his eyes only to see red.  Blood was everywhere.  There was a crimson curtain over his eyes.  He saw her, through the livid crimson, he saw her lying there on the hospital bed.  He shook his head and the colored veil was lifted.  Now, the true colors were laid out before him.

"Jasna…" he whispered as he saw the girl lying on the hospital bed.  Though Jasna herself seemed as clean and peaceful as if she were sleeping, the sheets were stained with a thick red liquid.  Blood.  Her blood.  Harry shivered.  But he didn't believe.

Harry took a step forward and walked over to her.  He stroked her hair affectionately with one hand.  He grasped her hand firmly in his other.

"Hey, girl," he breathed, softly.  She didn't move. "How are you doing?"

"She's not going to wake up, Harry." Harry hadn't noticed that Dumbledore was standing beside Jasna's bed.  He was looking down at Jasna; Harry couldn't see his face.  Harry looked down at his beloved sadly.

"I know," he whispered.  He wouldn't stop stroking her silky hair.  He felt a kind hand on his shoulder and looked up to see a young man with bright red hair.  He hadn't noticed that his friends had come in after him.  To his left, he saw Hermione, her legs wobbling.  Ron still had a glazed look to his eye.

"She looks just like she's sleeping…" Ron muttered.

"We healed the wounds so you wouldn't have to see them," said McGonagall from behind them.

"What… How did this happen?" asked Harry.  He only hoped his dream wasn't true.

"A knife," said Dumbledore.

"A knife… no.  Into her chest?" Harry felt the familiar sense of apprehension rising in him like a rush of cold waters.

"Yes."

"Self inflicted?" There was a pause.

"Yes." He finally answered.

"Oh god…" Harry felt weak all of a sudden.  Then, he realized something.

"Her wand!" Hermione voiced what Harry was thinking. "Why didn't she use her wand?"

"Why a knife?" Ron added.  They both looked at Dumbledore.  Harry's eyes were glued to Jasna.  He felt as if the moment he stopped looking at her, the moment he stopped stroking her hair, the moment he stopped holding her hand, it would be final.  He'd never be able to do it again.  He'd never be able to look at her again or stroke her hair again or hold her hand.  He'd let her go forever.

Dumbledore was not answering their question.  Neither was McGonagall or Madam Pomfrey.

"Her wand…" Harry whispered, still looking at his lost love. "Look at her wand.  She didn't want to use if because she'd lose the spell."

"What?" Ron asked.  Harry understood now.  She had done something with her wand before she killed herself.  It had glowed.  What had she done?

Dumbledore seemed to be following Harry's train of thought as he picked up Jasna's wand off the floor where she had dropped it.  He took out his own.

"Prior incantatum!" said Dumbledore, evenly.  The wand flew up into the air and pointed at a vacant wall.  It was glowing brightly again with a warm golden light.  Harry looked away from his girlfriend's body as Jasna's voice echoed in the room.

"In life and death, In Essence bind, Let those who know, Have piece of mind."

"Of course…" Harry heard Dumbledore mutter.  Before Harry could ask what Dumbledore was thinking, light shot out of the end of Jasna's wand and began to build something… a figure.  A figure of a young woman with long raven hair and jade eyes…

Harry dropped Jasna's hand in shock.  It was her, it was her!  His friends seemed to be just as surprised as he was as Harry felt Ron's grip tighten on his shoulder.  He noticed Hermione seize his hand.

The image of the young girl looked at her feet and then straight into Harry's eyes.  She was wearing the same clothing the corpse on the bed wore: coal black robes.  Except the image's clothing was completely black and had no traces of dark red.

"You must think me selfish.  Or a coward.  Or both.  Because of what I'm about to do.  Because of what I did."  
"Jasna!" Harry cried.  He knew that voice; he knew those eyes.  He made a move to run to her but Dumbledore held out his arm, stopping him.

"It's a hologram, Harry," he whispered. "She's left us a message."

"It's OK though," the hologram continued with a smile. "Because maybe I am.  I don't know really what I am.  All I know is I can't stay here.  I have to go.  I did it for you, Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore, there was a time a few weeks ago when I told you about my encounter with Death.  I told you He gave me a choice.  You told me that I chose to stay.  I never told you the answer.  I was dead before you found me.

"Harry…" at this, the ghost-like image gave a sad sigh. "Oh, Harry!  I never wanted to hurt you, never!  Though you must be going through hell right now.  I'm so sorry.  I didn't want to go.  I didn't want to leave you.  But I had to.  For everyone's sake.  If I'd stayed, you'd have gone through more torture.  I would have gone insane and I would have dragged you down with me.  We'd be two easy targets for my father and then we'd both be dead.  This whole school could be in danger.  Even with Dumbledore.  I survived the wrath of Lord Voldemort.  I held on for you, Harry, and I never gave in.  He wanted me to help him but I would never.  He nearly killed me.  He did kill me.  Some father, eh?" The apparition gave a small sad laugh. Then it looked up straight into Harry's eyes again.

"I love you, Harry Potter.  I always will.  I can only hope you won't hate me for the pain I put you through.  I had to die, to save the world.  To save the only thing I ever loved.  To save you.  I love you, Harry.  Never forget me.  Don't shed too many tears over me.  Find a solution.

"Ron." Ron straightened up as if a drill sergeant had called his name. "Ron.  You have to stand tall, be brave for your friends.  Be there for him, like you always are, like you always were.  You're a great friend, Ron Weasley.  Always there for your friends when they needed you even if something's tearing you up inside." Harry and Hermione looked at Ron, strangely for a moment, but he was still looking at Jasna's ghost. "You're a great friend.  Harry needs you, Ron.  Be there for him.  Please.

"Hermione, you have good logic, don't you?" Hermione looked up and nodded slowly, as if speaking with a real person.  The specter continued with the hint of a grin "Of course you do.  What's Hermione Granger without her brilliant grades?  You have great logic.  You're a smart girl.  And I don't just mean you get A's on your exams.  You've been holding out on us…" Hermione blushed slightly as Harry and Ron gave her a slightly confused look. "You keep your head when everyone else if panicking.  You'll need that.  You'll need your brain.  It's a powerful asset and will help you later in the future.  Help them find a solution.

"Do something.  Find a solution, all of you.  He must be stopped.  How many people will be made to suffer before Fudge finally will realize what's going on? _You have to do SOMETHING!_

"My parting must have been something as a shock to you all.  But as I already said, I was dead when you found me.  My choice, Professor Dumbledore, was not just to live or die." Dumbledore nodded.

"Of course it wasn't…" he muttered. "The consequences."

"You may have figured out by now that it wasn't as simple as that," the specter continued. "Harry's love for me could save me.  But my father's hate could destroy me.  In death, my father has nothing to destroy.  But Harry has everything to love still.  And I would be at peace.  I hope anyway.  In life, things would have been terrible.  Voldemort would have tried again and again to destroy me and Harry and eventually would succeed.  Life would be unbearable.  There is no point for delaying the inevitable.  Choice was irrelevant.  We all have to die."

"Not like that…" Harry murmured.

"I hope you find happiness, Harry.  With another girl, with your friends, without Voldemort.  Without me.  Someone who won't drag you down with her problems is what you need.  Someone who's there for you, who understands you.  I will always love you, Harry.  Even in death, I will continue to love you.  And I know you will always love me.  Always and forever.

"You are the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter.  You always will be.  And you better keep it that way.  I don't want to see you share my fate. You are the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter, and I am the Girl Who Died."

There was silence as the image disappeared and the wand fell to the ground.  Jasna's last words echoed in Harry's ears.

_You are the Boy Who Lived and I am the Girl Who Died._

He finally understood what she meant when she had spoken to him the day before.

"She didn't want to go," he muttered, looking at the corpse of his soul mate.  The tears began to form in his eyes as he tried to keep the sorrow from his voice. "She didn't… She didn't want to go…" He tried to swallow is misery by gulping the huge lump that was beginning to form in his throat.  He felt a kind arm around him.  It squeezed his shoulders reassuringly.

"Make her proud, Harry," the familiar friendly voice of his best friend said.  His tone was solacing and full of support.  Harry realized then just how good Ron had become at disguising his own feelings. "I'm behind you every step of the way."

Harry looked Ron straight in the eye, his face completely devoid of expression.

"Thanks, Ron," he said sincerely. "I never told you… That really means a lot to me.  All you do for me… Thanks, Ron." Harry was trying to say two things at once.  Ron smiled weakly.  He got the message.

Harry looked over his shoulder at Hermione, who was sitting in a chair close by watching the two.  She gave him a kind smile that appeared to be slightly forced.  She knew better than to disturb them.  Ron and Harry were sharing a moment and she didn't want to interrupt that.  She looked sadly at Jasna, lying still on the hospital bed.  She had grown to like Jasna and had felt extremely guilty about her prejudices.  She never had the chance to tell her how sorry she had been about judging her.  As she heaved a sigh, she noticed Harry was still looking at her.

"Come here, Hermione."  
"I don't want to be a bother."  
"Well, you can't help it any other time and you want to try now?" said Ron with a slight smile.  Hermione returned the gesture.

"Hermione, what's complete without you?" Harry asked, holding out his arm.  Hermione's smile grew as she stood up and allowed Harry to amiably put his arm around her.  Whatever was going to happen, they'd get through it together.


	15. The Solution

Chapter Fifteen: The Solution

Harry noticed Dumbledore was looking at them with an expression he couldn't read.  But the old twinkle was in his eye again.  After about a minute of looking at the trio, he smiled.

"Professor," said McGonagall. "You have an idea?"  
"I do indeed, Minerva." He nodded.  There was a hint of a chuckle to his voice and the grin on his face was evident.  The headmaster would not take his eyes off of the three friends.  Harry frowned at him, confused.

"What is it, Professor?" Harry asked.

"Minerva," Dumbledore said with a sly smile, eyes always on the group of friends.  "I want you to look long and hard at the picture before you."

"It's a young girl… Dumbledore, why do you want me to look at a dead-"

"Not Jasna, my dear woman, but _Harry!  Harry, Ron and Hermione!  The solution!"_

"I see three friends… They're consoling each other…"

"And they are smiling.  In the face of despair and sorrow, they are smiling."  
"They aren't very strong-"  
"Yes, Minerva, you're right, they aren't very strong smiles.  But they're smiles nonetheless.  They have lost a friend that was very near and dear to their hearts and yet they've realized that they still have each other.  A single unit, Minerva!  Banding together!  A circle of friendship— no, of fraternity!  We need to stop dwelling on our weaknesses and losses and focus on our strengths and what we have!  _We need to stay together!  And this is one of the best examples I've seen.  Support each other, you three!  Loyalty and trust are powerful and fragile things.  Remember that.  Remember Jasna.  Remember her words and heed her advice.  __Find a solution!"_

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other for a moment.  Then, they looked at Dumbledore.

"Professor…" Hermione said, slowly. "Are you saying that… We're the solution?"  
"You're a very bright girl Hermione." Dumbledore nodded.

"But… How?"  
"Joint action, teamwork, cooperation!  Trust, friendship and loyalty!  We are one unit working towards the same goal!  Betrayal is not an option.  As long as we stay together, we can bring about the true downfall to Lord Voldemort.  But the key to his destruction is our loyalty to each other!  We may not _be the solution, Hermione, but we __are the ones who can find it.  Together."  
"When you say 'we'…" Harry said. "Who are you including?"_

"Anyone who does not want to see Lord Voldemort in power again."

"You expect so many people to work together?  Enemies and friends?" Ron was agape.  Dumbledore gave him a warm smile.

"Ron, enemies will become friends.  Our only enemies are fear, hate and Lord Voldemort, who happens to be the sheer embodiment of Fear and Hate."

Harry looked at his comrades, his allies and gave them a confident nod.

"Together, we'll find a solution.  Together, we'll fight him.  And together, we _will defeat him." _

Harry focussed on the common goal: The defeat of Lord Voldemort.  As long as Harry concentrated on 'the common goal' then he didn't have to think about Jasna.  He didn't have to think about what he had lost.  His denial was obvious to Ron and Hermione, but they said nothing.

"Let him deal with it his own way," Hermione advised Ron and the others.

Harry was so distressed the morning after, that Ron had to escort him out of the Great Hall.  Harry couldn't eat, he claimed.

"Neither can I," Ron muttered to Hermione as he stood up to take Harry outside.  Dumbledore watched the two leave and when Ron appeared in the Hall again was when he began his speech.  However, before he did, he heaved a great sigh.  This was the second time in two years that he was to discuss the death of a student.  This was the second time in two months that he was to discuss Jasna Larden.

"Students, faculty… Friends.  I stand here before you today not just as your headmaster, but as a friend.  You all know you can trust me.  But what you need to know is you can trust each other.  At least I pray you can.  A young girl died last night…" Dumbledore paused as he looked towards the Gryffindor table.  Hermione's head was on Ron's shoulder and Dumbledore thought he saw her eyes glistening.  Ron was stroking her hair, soothingly.

"A young girl died last night in the hospital wing.  You all knew her, whether it was by face or by name, and some of you even grew to love her.  That girl, that brave and incredible young girl was called Jasna Larden." Again, Dumbledore paused as he glanced at the Slytherins.  He saw Draco Malfoy's head bent and his eyes were on the floor.

"I recall a time about a year ago where I stood up at this very table, addressing this very room about the loss of a young Hufflepuff boy who's memory will live on in the hearts of those who loved him and whom he loved in return.  The man who was murdered Cedric Diggeroy was the same man who was the cause of Jasna's insanity.  Jasna's own father.

"I will not stand up here and lie to you.  I'm sure you've had enough of that.  I'm here to dispel false rumors and tell you the truth.  Whether you are ready for it or not is your decision, not your parents or anyone else's.  Jasna's father was Lord Voldemort.  However, do not think for a moment that Jasna was anything like her father.  She despised him probably more than any one of you in this room.  She feared him probably more than any of your parents ever did.  But she still had the sense to call him by his name.  Voldemort.  The word is not difficult to pronounce.  I want you all to get used to it because unfortunately, it will be a word you will be hearing often from now on.

"Jasna was a smart, witty, and a little short tempered young lady with a mind of her own.  But her most outstanding quality was her courage.  Valiantly, she stood up to her father and defended the closest friend she ever had.  She did not give in.  He tortured her in every way possible and it eventually drove her mad." Dumbledore looked over at the Gryffindor table again and saw Neville Longbottom with a brave face.

"Jasna died in this very school and the cause of her death was her own father.  I believe you are all familiar with the word suicide?" There were gasps and mutters among the crowd when Dumbledore said this. "I'm taking that as a yes.  Well, suicide is what the tabloids and the Ministry will call Jasna's cause of death.  But you know the truth.  Jasna's father was the cause of her death, her own father.

"How many people must we lose to pain and suffering and death before the Ministry realizes what's going on?  We can prevent this.  We can prevent further suffering and bloodshed.  Jasna's final request was not to mourn her too long.  She wants us to find a solution.  And together, we _will find a solution.  I am counting on your support.  __Do I have your support?"_

There was hesitation throughout the Great Hall.  Dumbledore had his staff not to make a move before a student did.  He wanted a student to show their support on their own accord.  Ron looked around the room and at the head on his shoulder that was beginning to cry.

"Cheer up, Hermione," he told her. "Everything will be OK." Gently, Ron helped Hermione to sit on her own.  He took a deep breath and stood up.  All heads turned to him.

"Jasna was a dear friend of mine…" he said in a strong voice.  However there was a slight tremble to it. "You have my support, Professor Dumbledore." Hermione looked up at Ron with admiration.  But she was too shocked to move.  Someone else did it before her.

"And mine, Headmaster." At the professor's table, Snape stood up.  His face was blank.  Just then, Hermione heard the voice of someone she didn't expect.

"And you have mine, Professor." Hermione's head whipped over to the Slytherin table, where she saw Draco Malfoy stand.

"And mine," said Ginny, standing up herself.  She gave a warm smile to her brother.

"And you always had mine." Hermione finally stood up herself.  Ron gave her a reassuring smile and put his arm around her.  Everyone in the hall was staring at the five people standing.  It took a moment for what was going on to sink in.

"I've always trusted you, Dumbledore." McGonagall gave an apologetic nod in the headmaster's direction and stood up.

"You have our support, Professor!" The Weasley twins had a large grin on their face as they cheerily said the words together and rose to their feet.

"And mine." Cho Chang was the first of the Ravenclaws to make a stand. "For Jasna.  And for Cedric." A young girl with curly blond locks and bright blue eyes looked up at her Ravenclaw companion.  Finally, she stood.

"And you have mine," she said.  She turned to Cho and whispered, "I'll follow you until the end of the earth, Cho."

Ron looked over at the Slytherins and saw Crabbe and Goyle sitting there, looking at Malfoy with stupid looks on their faces.  Malfoy was looking straight at Professor Dumbledore, but Ron saw him kick his two goons.  They rose with a grunt.

"You have my support, Dumbledore!" cried a young Hufflepuff fourth year.

"And mine."

"And mine."

"And mine!"

People all over the hall were standing.  Ron and Hermione were particularly surprised with the Slytherins.  Nearly the whole table was on its feet.  Dumbledore smiled.  This was a good beginning.


End file.
